The Locket
by I. M. Frelling-Wonko
Summary: Vala is given a locket that leads her to true happiness.
1. Prologue: The Locket

Hey, look what's back! I know, I know. I've done the start-and-stop thing on this story soooo many times, but this time I am resolute. I _will_ complete it, even if it takes me another 4 years (Oh, gods no!).

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**A/N:** This faery tale chapter is just as sappy as it was before, but it sets up the rest of the story, so...

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**Special Thanks: **I want to thank** iloveorchids **for reminding me of this story. It really kicked my arse into gear and made me want to finish this.

And my favourite **Brat** for telling me I need a _Stargate_/Vala re-watch. I'm re-watching it. :)

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**Disclaimer: **I still don't own the _Stargate _franchise.

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**Spoiler Warnings:** This story follows most of seasons 9 &amp; 10 plus the movies so I would say there are spoilers. In fact, this story is just one big spoiler.

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**Prologue: The Locket**

Long ago in a faraway land there lived a young maiden named Iridina. She was beautiful and kind. She was loved by all of the villagers, but she could not find happiness. She wanted to find true love.

One day she travelled outside the village to visit the sorceress. This sorceress was said to be thousands of years old and possess great magic. Iridina decided that she was her last hope for finding true love. When she arrived she found a beautiful woman who looked not much older than herself. She had long brown hair and a kind smile.

"You are Iridina." she said. Iridina stared at her and the woman smiled. "It is all right, child. I have been expecting you. You have come in search of your true love."

"How do you know that?" Iridina asked.

"I know a great many things, child. Your arrival was foreseen long ago and I have been preparing for it. Come." She motioned for Iridina to follow her into a small tent.

Iridina took a seat and watched as the woman pulled a small pouch from a wooden chest. Opening it, she pulled out a lovely necklace.

"Take it, child." The woman held out the jewellery and Iridina noticed the small locket on the end.

Unsure what to do, Iridina could only stare at the woman. "I can't just take it."

"Of course you can. It is yours."

"Mine?" she asked, still not quite sure what to make of all this. At the woman's nod, Iridina gently took the necklace and looked at it with wonder. The piece was intricately shaped with a weaved design. She rubbed her thumb over it for a moment before looking up at the curious woman again. "Who are you?"

"That matters not. What matters is that you have gotten what you came for."

"But how will a locket help me find love?"

"This locket is fused with knowledge. When you open it, you will see the face of your true love."

Cautiously, Iridina opened the locket. In it she saw the face of a handsome young man with dark hair and eyes as green as the grass.

"I do not know this man." she told the woman, confused.

"Ah, but you will, in time. You need only wait for your paths to cross."

"When will that be?"

"When the time is right." she replied cryptically.

Iridina frowned but asked no more questions. She slipped the chain around her neck and stood to leave.

"One more thing, child." Iridina turned to look at the woman one last time. "When you have found your true love, return to me with the locket and the young man." Iridina nodded then turned to leave again.

Many years later, Iridina had yet to meet the man in the locket. She despaired of ever seeing him. She wanted to go to the sorceress and give back the necklace, but something held her back. Some tiny hope.

One day she was walking through the village square when she saw a band of travellers come through. It was not unusual for merchants to arrive at this time of the year so she didn't pay much attention. She was about to enter a market stall when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning, she saw her best friend, Trin, smiling up at her.

"Did you hear the news of the travellers?" she asked.

"The merchants? No, what is so interesting?" Iridina asked indulgently.

"They are not merchants. They are the personal guards of Prince Madriq. He is on a quest to find a wife. The king has demanded he marry or give up his right to the throne."

"What consequence is it of ours? You are married and I am to old to think of such things."

"You are not so old, only twenty-five years. Have you truly given up on finding love?" Trin asked sadly.

"I have." she stated, matter-of-fact. "I have lived in a world of naïve hope for far too long. It is time for me to accept my fate and move on."

"I don't believe you. If that were true, you would have returned that locket to the sorceress."

"In fact, I was just thinking on that today. While I don't believe her powers to be false, I do think they have failed me. I am going to return this to her tomorrow." With that she turned and left, but not before seeing the crestfallen look on her friend's face. She was too old to believe in true love. A few more years and she would be deemed too old for marriage. Better that she marry one of her many suitors than wait for a man who may never come.

So engrossed in her thoughts, she did not notice the green-eyed prince gazing at her with much interest. Prince Madriq watched the flaxen-haired beauty as she walked past. She was the most entrancing creature he had ever seen. He had almost given up finding his love when the gentle sorceress had arrived at the castle. She'd told him that the one he sought could be found in this simple village. He was hesitant to believe her but he felt he had little choice. If he did not have a wife by the next harvest, he would lose his right to the throne.

Without a word to his guards, Prince Madriq followed the young maiden. Now that he'd found her, he refused to allow her out of his sight for even a second.

Iridina had decided to take a short-cut home through the forest. Just as she was coming to the clearing near her house, she heard a twig snap. She turned to see someone hiding behind a tree.

"Come out, I know you're there." She waited a moment and was about to leave when a tall, dark stranger stepped out. Her hand went unconsciously to the necklace as she stared wide-eyed at the man from the locket.

"It's you," she whispered.

"Pardon?" he asked, stepping slowly toward her.

"I mean, who are you?" she covered quickly. She couldn't believe what she was seeing and was too afraid to hope.

"I am Prince Madriq." He walked nearer to her. "I saw you in the marketplace and I could not let you our of my sight."

"You followed me?" She could barely breath as he closed the distance between them.

"I confess, I did. I have come a long way in search of you. I was afraid that if I let you disappear, I would never see you again. Tell me, what is your name?"

"Iridina," she whispered.

"Iridina," He took her hand in his. "I have searched many years for my true love. I'd almost given up hope when a sorceress came to me and told me I could find her here. Today when I saw you I knew my search was over. My quest complete."

"A sorceress?" Iridina asked, incredulous. It couldn't be. But... "Did this sorceress have long brown hair and a kind smile?"

"Yes," he answered, confused. "She was very insistent that I come here as quickly as possible. She told me that my time was running out."

"Come with me. I wish you to see something." She led him to the edge of the village where the sorceress lived. He followed her without a word, never letting go of her hand.

When they arrived, the sorceress was sitting in her tent. She smiled and motioned them toward the chairs.

"Ah, I see you two have finally found each other. It took you long enough." This was directed at Madriq and he blushed a light pink. Looking toward Iridina, she asked, "Have you brought the locket, child?" Iridina took off the necklace. "Good. Now boy, look inside and tell me what you see."

Madriq opened the locket and glanced inside. His head shot up to look at Iridina then the sorceress.

"Well?" the sorceress asked. "Who is it?"

"It is Iridina. I don't understand." He looked toward Iridina but she was just as confused as he.

"The knowledge of the locket allows the beholder to view their one true love. My work here is done."

"What of the locket?" Iridina asked as the woman stood.

"Keep it and pass it down to your children. I will collect it when I next have need of it."

Madriq and Iridina nodded in understanding and the sorceress disappeared with a bright light. The couple could only stare in disbelief as she vanished. After a few moments, they looked to one another and smiled. They'd both come close to giving up but they'd pushed on, never allowing the hope of true love to completely disappear.


	2. Chapter 1: Vala and the Locket

**Chapter 1: Vala and the Locket**

"You have a good eye, my dear."

Vala spun around at the unexpected voice. She was surprised to see the old woman standing directly behind her. When she'd entered this market stall, she'd thought she was alone. She'd been hoping to...liberate...the owner of a few possessions when she'd caught sight of a beautiful locket. She'd felt drawn to it for some inexplicable reason.

Vala glanced down at the necklace then back at the woman, pasting on her most charming smile. "It is rather beautiful, but not quite what I'm looking for."

The woman smiled knowingly at her. "This locket is exactly what you need, child." Vala raised an eyebrow but said nothing as the woman continued. "There is knowledge in this locket. It allows one to see the path to true happiness."

"True happiness?" Vala questioned suspiciously. She wasn't sure she believed in happiness any more. In the years since she'd been separated from the Goa'uld Qetesh, she'd known only anger and loneliness. She wanted desperately to believe in it but was too afraid to hope.

"I'm not in the market for magic trinkets." she told the woman and reluctantly set the necklace down.

"One is always in the market for happiness, child."

Vala stopped and thought for a moment. Maybe if she allowed the woman to give her the story, she'd be distracted enough not to notice if Vala...misappropriated...a few necessary items.

"All right, tell me what knowledge this necklace holds."

"It is said that this locket was forged by a powerful sorceress many years ago. She created it for a young maiden of great beauty. When the maiden came to her searching for love, she was given this locket and told it would allow her to see her one true love. When she opened it she saw the face of a man she did not know. For many years she waited for him but he never came. Then, just as she was about to give up on love, her young man appeared. He was the prince of the kingdom. They were married and were said to have lived a happy life with much love."

"It's a nice story," Vala said as she wandered about, pocketing a few trinkets discreetly. "But I don't understand what this myth has to do with me."

"Not a myth, a legend. King Madriq and Queen Iridina are the ancestors of our royal line. Their story is true."

"Still..." Vala said as she turned to the woman.

"You, my dear, are searching for a place to belong. This locket will lead you on the path to true happiness."

"But it's just a locket."

"Look inside, child, and tell me what you see." The old woman handed her the necklace and Vala opened in cautiously. Inside she saw the image of a handsome man with sandy blond hair and deep blue eyes.

"Who is this?" she questioned.

"He is your true love. When the time is right, you will find each other. Take the locket and follow the path."

Vala was about to argue with the woman but decided against it. If this wonko old lady wanted her to take this necklace, who was she to deny her? Maybe she could fetch a fair price for it somewhere. So she thanked her and turned to leave. She did not notice the bright light as the old woman transformed into that of a beautiful brunette woman with a kind smile.


	3. Chapter 2: Prometheus Unbound

**Chapter 2: Prometheus Unbound**

Vala couldn't believe she'd taken this job. She was so bored! She'd taken the cargo ship Tenat had given her in the hopes of finding a bigger, better vessel. And she had. Not long after leaving the planet, she'd run across an Al'Kesh. It was exactly what she'd hope for. Unfortunately, in order to acquire it, she'd had to attack. Now it was pretty much beyond quick repair and the cargo ship was worse.

So, here she sat, in a damaged Al'Kesh, awaiting a response to her distress call. And she was bored! She'd always hated sitting around, waiting for something to happen. Patience was definitely _not_ one of her virtues. If it weren't for the insane amount of weapons-grade naquadah at the end of this job, she'd just take the time to fix the ship and be on her way. But she needed that naquadah, much more than she wanted to admit. So, waiting it was.

Nearly an hour later, Vala was about to concede defeat when a ship suddenly appeared on her sensors. Bringing the image on screen, she was shocked by how...primitive it looked. But it was huge. She'd never seen anything like it before and wondered who it belonged to. Hopefully it wasn't a hostile group of people. Shaking herself out of her reverie, she heard a voice come over the comm system.

"This is General George Hammond of the Earth vessel _Prometheus_. We're answering your distress call and standing ready to assist you."

Well, that sounded promising. At least they didn't _sound_ like they wanted to attack. This may just be easier than she'd thought. With that in mind, she put on her stolen Kull Warrior suit. Better to take the extra precaution than to be caught unprepared.

After donning the suit, she was readying herself to ring over to the ship, when her own rings activated. She watched carefully from out of sight as a group of people exited the platform. They all wore the same uniform, one she didn't recognise, and carried weapons. As the group left the ring room, Vala made sure to grab the last crystal that would fully disable the Al'Kesh and ringed herself over to their ship. Once over, she made her way through the corridors, disabling controls as she went. Zatting people and ringing them to the Al'Kesh when necessary. Seriously, she'd never seen such a large crew. When she finally had everyone off the ship, she went to get the sublight engines going. She didn't have time to do anything more, though, when she felt a tiny sting go through her body. Turning, she saw a man holding a gun to her. He shot again and she felt the same sensation. She quickly lifted her zat and shot before he could get another one off.

Making her way over to him with the intention of tying him up, she finally got a good look at his face. Her hand flew to her neck and, even though she could not get to the locket through the Kull Warrior suit, she knew this was the face of the man inside. She'd never been able to trade it and now she was glad she hadn't. She only had one problem now.

"Great job, Vala." she said to herself. "You just zatted your one true love."

()()()()

About twenty minutes later Vala was still at the control console, trying to figure out how to send out a long-range transmission, when she heard a deep voice. She didn't bother to turn around, or even acknowledge his presence.

"Hey, how's it goin'?" her prisoner said. After pausing for a moment, he went on. "Guess it's just you and me, huh?" He continued to ramble as she did her best to ignore him. How could a person speak so rapidly? Did he even take a breath? Finally she grew tired of his non-stop talking and turned toward him.

"You may prove useful." she said in her altered voice.

"Okay, now we're gettin' somewhere. Where's everyone else?"

"I transported them onto the Al'Kesh."

"Well, you kept the wrong guy, 'cause I don't know anything about the ship."

Sure he didn't. Vala realised another tactic was in order to get information out of this man, so she slowly made her way over to him. "But you are very attractive." she told him and watched as he blanched.

"Hey, you know, big guy. I'm flattered, really I am, it's just that, uh, you're not my type. And I'm more than a little disturbed that I might be yours." Vala started to remove her helmet and he closed his eyes, looking away and yelling for her to stop. When he finally looked back toward her, he blinked in shock. Maybe flirting would work. He was a man, after all. And he was supposed to be her true love. That had to count for something, right?

"Don't worry." She smiled gently. "I'm not gonna hurt you."

"Thank god." he said in relief.

"Much. I hope." she said after a moment and smiled as his relief quickly turned anxious again. He continued to watch her suspiciously as she began removing the rest of her armour but she ignored him and got down to business. "I wish to send a long-range transmission using the communications system."

"Sorry, I don't have a clue."

"You lie." She moved toward him as he began to ramble again. She was starting to get angry. Did he really believe her to be that much of a fool? Maybe he needed a little more incentive than flirting alone could give so she slapped him hard across the face and was rewarded with a yelp of pain. "Shall I kiss it better?"

He gave her an odd look before answering. "Um, no. Just don't do it again."

She sighed heavily. Usually a line like that worked wonderfully. What was wrong with this guy, anyway?

"Hey, look, even if I knew what it is you wanted me to do, what makes you think I'd tell you? How the hell do you think you can steal a ship when you don't even know how it works?"

"I got the sublight engines going." She stated the obvious. He conceded her point and she went on. "You really expect me to believe you don't know how your own ship works?"

"Uh, okay, um, look. My name is Daniel Jackson. I'm an archaeologist, a historian." And back to the rambling again. Boy, was she getting tired of that. She chose to ignore him as he continued and moved over to the control console. She'd probably get a lot more information out of it than she was with this lunatic. Once he started laying out his sad story, though, she got fed up. He didn't know the _meaning_ of a sad story. Not like she did.

"Oh, I really don't care."

"Look, this really isn't necessary-" he began but she interrupted.

"Can I have this ship?" she said, using her hands in a distorted indication of two people talking. "No. Okay. Discussion over." She slammed her hands down for emphasis, hoping he'd take the hint, when she heard a noise coming from the console. She smirked when she saw the screen telling her the communications system was active. Wow, she thought, that almost never actually works. Taking very little time to preen, she went about sending her message to Tenat.

"Now, about the hyperdrive..." When he merely gave her a resigned look, she went back to trying to figure it out for herself only to be blocked out by the need of another code. "Access is restricted by a code."

"Yeah. Too bad." he said sarcastically.

She'd had enough. This man was either stupid or suicidal. Either way, she'd get what she needed, no matter what it took. So, she shot him. He screamed in pain and she couldn't block the small burst of sympathy. She really hadn't wanted to cause him pain, but he left her little choice. She held up her healing device and told him she could fix it but he still refused to tell her as he writhed in pain. Damn! She moved over to him and sat astride, settling the device above the injury.

"There. Feel better?" she asked when she was through.

He looked to his now completely healed shoulder and back to her suspiciously. "You're Goa'uld."

"No." she told him softly. "But I was once host to one."

"Which would explain the naquadah in your blood that lets you use Goa'uld technology."

"And how I can learn to fly this rather primitive ship." He seemed to know an awful lot about the Goa'uld and their hosts. Maybe that could work to her advantage.

"Yeah, so primitive, one would wonder if it was worth the bother."

"Well, in this case it's the size that matters." She looked downward and bit her lip flirtatiously. "Actually, pretty much in every case." When he started to look like he might be crumbling, she put on her most pitiful mask. "Tell me the code. Please."

"I don't-I don't know it."

"Fine." she said, standing to leave. She'd figure it out herself. She was used to working alone, anyway. It might take her a bit longer but, in the end, she'd get there. She always did.

()()()()

She had just rewritten the security codes and started plotting her hyperdrive course when she heard his voice in the doorway, demanding that she lose the weapon and move away from the console. She glanced over at him and smirked. "I liked you better tied up."

"Against the wall. Lose the weapon."

So much for flirting her way out of this. Seriously, what was wrong with him? For a second she wondered if maybe he didn't like girls but pushed the thought aside as something to contemplate later, after she got away from him. "This suit still absorbs zat blasts." she warned as she did as instructed.

"Then cover your head."

"So, you should probably make me take it off."

"I think I'll turn the ship around first."

"I don't know. If I had me at gun point, that wouldn't be my first choice." 

"Yeah, well..." he trailed off as he went over to the console.

It was time to think fast. What could she possibly use to get this man on her side?

"What's going on?" he asked after trying and failing to gain control.

"I rewrote the access codes, so I'm the only one who can use the navigation system."

"Undo it." he commanded.

"Listen," She'd decided to try the rescue mission story. He seemed like the type who enjoyed saving people. "Hundreds of lives are at stake. I'm trying to save the last of my people, and this ship is their only hope."

"Maybe if you'd mentioned that off the top."

"Would you really have helped?" she scoffed. In her experience, no one helped unless there was something in it for them. And even then you had to be constantly on your guard, lest you get stabbed in the back.

"Look, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, we were also on a rescue mission." He looked away as the sensors went off.

"What is it?"

"A ship just appeared on our radar. It's an Al'Kesh."

She tried to explain that it couldn't possibly be his friends but he would not listen. She was quickly losing control and she did not like it. "We have to raise shields and arm weapons."

"I'll try hailing them first."

That was it. There was only one way to handle this. As he started walking toward her, she kicked the gun away and hit him across the face. When he faced her again, she went to punch him only to be punched herself. He'd hit her! That couldn't be right.

"Oh, you hit me."

"_You _hit _me_."

"Yeah, you know, we could just have sex instead." She eyed him carefully and when she saw that her comment had hit its mark, she took advantage, elbowing him in the face then kicking him across the room. They continued to battle and she discovered he wasn't much of a fighter. In no time, she had him flat on his back and she jumped on top.

"Are we done?" she asked.

"I am." he said dejectedly.

She pulled him up by his collar and placed her hand over his quickly reddening cheek. She couldn't help herself, she kissed him. And damned if he didn't respond before pulling back.

"You're a fruitcake." he told her and she head-butted him. Whatever a fruitcake was, it sure didn't sound like a compliment. Climbing off of him, she made her way to the console and made sure the ship could continue in its hyperdrive course. Suddenly, she felt a zat blast go through her body and fell to her knees. The last thing she saw was Daniel holding his weapon to her before everything went black.

()()()()

When she awoke, it was to a massive headache. Sitting up quickly, she took in her surroundings. She was in a tiny grey room and wearing a strange blue outfit. He'd stripped her while she was unconscious! "Oh, that's just great."

"I see you." she heard his voice say and walked over to the tiny camera in the corner of the room.

"Did you have fun taking off my clothes?"

"It was your idea."

"No, I meant when I was conscious, you know, so I could distract you and kick you in the head."

"I kept my eyes closed the whole time."

Sure he did, she snorted. He really must think she was stupid. Now she had to figure a way out of this, and fast. They were almost to their destination.

"So, where are we going?" he asked, as if reading her thoughts.

"I told you, to save my people. Can you please let me out of here?"

"Oh...no."

"You know, I haven't eaten in days." The sympathy card seemed to work a little earlier. Maybe she could try it again..

"Could you please tell me how to access the navigation controls?"

"It isn't very nice, you know, starving a prisoner to death." she tried again. "Come on, Daniel. You've seen me naked. The least you could do is cook me dinner."

She waited for an answer but, when none was forthcoming, she gave up. Well, it was worth a shot. Now, to figure a way to get out of there. She was just about to try her hand at the door controls when it slid open to reveal a very distrustful Daniel with a zat.

"Come on." he said and motioned for her to walk ahead of him.

She did so without resistance, formulating her story as she went. When they finally reached a room with a large table, she was more than grateful to see all of the food spread atop. She hadn't been lying when she'd told him she hadn't eaten in days so she sat right down and dug into the fare, not even taking notice when Daniel sat opposite her, aiming his zat straight at her. When she finally looked up from her meal, she tried a peace offering. He refused the overture so she tried a different tack. Honesty had worked before. Maybe it would again. Within reason, at least.

"Thank you. You know of the Tok'ra?"

"Yup." he answered abruptly.

Well, at least she wouldn't have to go into _that_ explanation. She delved into how a Tok'ra incited a rebellion on her planet, causing her to become the focus of her own people's wrath as the host to Qetesh. She told him of being tortured for days before the Tok'ra took pity on her and rescued her, removing the symbiote and nursing her back to health. Not many people knew this part of her history and she hoped she'd done the right thing in telling Daniel. He seemed to want to believe her but remained suspicious.

"You said your people are in trouble now."

At least he wasn't dismissing her completely. That had to mean he was close to believing her. Unfortunately, it was time to fall back on her lying ways. She told him that once Qetesh was gone and the Tok'ra disappeared, another Goa'uld named Camulus had tried to take over. Only, this time they'd fought back. That they'd escaped to a nearby moon, out of the reach of Camulus. But now they were trapped because the moon didn't have a stargate. When he mentioned that Camulus was gone now, beaten by Ba'al, she tried not to snort at his naivete. She informed him that Ba'al was trying to take over all of Camulus' territory and that it was only a matter of time before he found her people. None of that was a complete lie. That's exactly what had happened to her homeworld, her people. She just didn't tell him that by the time it happened, she was far away, running some scam or another. She was no longer welcome amongst her people so she left them to fend for themselves. A decision she sometimes regretted but refused to dwell on.

"So you got desperate and tried to steal that Al'Kesh."

"It was damaged in the fire-fight." she answered honestly. "I was hoping one of my ships would answer my distress call. I'm sure you can imagine how lucky I felt when this ship showed up. It's big enough to rescue all of my people and take them to a world far away...free from the Goa'uld." She watched his reaction to see of he believed her and she could almost see his suspicions melt away. She was about to sigh in relief when he suddenly stood, telling her to do the same and led her back to the room she'd woken up in. So much for honesty.

"You don't have to lock me up." she said as he opened the door and motioned for her to enter.

"Oh, I think I do."

She tried to argue that the ship was going to fly to her homeworld whether he liked it or not but he again refused to listen, telling her he'd talk to her people when they got there. "My people are not going to trust you. You have to let me talk to them."

"No." he said with finality and started to close the door.

"Daniel." she tried one last time only to have the door close in her face. She sighed heavily. "This is bad." Sitting down for a few moments, she tried to come up with a new plan. It was only half-formed when she felt the ship land and she quickly stood, getting to work on the first part of that plan. She went over to the control panel on the wall and tried to open the door. When all she got for her trouble was an electric shock, she tried appealing to Daniel. Getting no answer, she sat down in resignation again. This job had seemed so simple to begin with. What had gone wrong? Suddenly she heard a strange alarm sound and felt the ship rock as it was hit by what she assumed to be gliders. She tried appealing to Daniel again and this time he answered, asking her for the security codes. "Let me out and I'll help you."

"You've gotta be kidding me!" he yelled. She merely shrugged in indifference, knowing he was aware that she was his only chance at survival, and waited for him to come get her. When he did, she gave him he best charm smile. "Let's go. No funny stuff."

"What did you do to my buyers?"

"We'll talk about that later." he said as he continued to push her forward.

"And the naquadah?" She was almost afraid to ask. And with good reason, apparently, because he refused to answer, simply telling her to move. "Do you have any idea how much that's worth?" He may not be in need of money, but she'd be damned if he screwed this up for her. Before she could even contemplate his murder, though, he hefted her over his shoulder and carried her to the bridge. When he set her down, she quickly took a station because survival was slightly more important than naquadah at the moment. She could kill him later. She set in the codes and told him to raise shields. But when she tried to take the ship into hyperspace, she found that they were too damaged. As they reached the outer atmosphere, they were hit by a team of attacking Al'Kesh. She had just resigned herself to her fate when one of the Al'Kesh was taken out by another. She saw that they were being hailed and quickly opened the channel.

"Doctor Jackson?" came the same voice that had answered her earlier distress call. "This is General Hammond. Do you copy?"

Daniel answered in the affirmative and continued to speak to the man. When he asked if it was clear to ring aboard, Daniel looked at her expectantly. "Unlock the system. Those gliders likely retreated to a nearby mothership. We have to get out of here now. Unlock the system."

She couldn't fight his logic so she did as he asked. He told his friends that they were clear and she looked to him in trepidation. "What are you gonna do with me?"

"I'm not sure."

Time for that honesty thing again. "Look, Daniel, whatever happens, I just want you to know-" Before she could finish, though, she felt the sting of a zat blast go through her. When she awoke again, she was back in that tiny room and it took her a moment to realise what had happened. He'd zatted her! Again! She couldn't believe it. Just as she was about to be completely honest with him, too. Boy, had that old lady been wrong about the whole 'one true love' thing. Oh well, she'd been in worse messes than this. First order of business, get out of this room. Shouldn't be too difficult, she thought, as she moved over to the control panel. They'd put her back in the same room as before so the work on the door was half done. All she needed was to cross a few more wires...There, done. She pushed it open and sneaked a glance out. Only one guard. These Tau'ri, as Daniel called them, were far too trusting. She quickly over-powered him and stole his weapon, zatting him in the process. Running through the corridors, zatting whomever happened to be in her way, she finally made it to the ring room and transported herself over to the Al'Kesh. She made sure to take out everyone left on board the ship and ringed them back over before taking control. As she put it into hyperdrive, she made sure to scramble any attempt they'd make at finding her. After a few minutes, once she was certain she wasn't being followed, she took a deep breath. Well, so much for true love and happy endings. She was better off alone, anyway. But she sure would miss Daniel Jackson.


	4. Chapter 3: Avalon Pt 1

**Chapter 3: Avalon Pt. 1**

Vala had been on the run for the last seven months, trying to keep one step ahead of the Lucian Alliance bounty hunters on her tail. She'd really messed up this time and there was nothing she could do about it. She couldn't even get close enough to Netan to explain what had gone wrong. And what could she possibly say, anyway? That she'd been out-witted by a historian? Yeah, he'd really believe that one. Damn Daniel Jackson! All she could do now was run and hope the Alliance got tired of chasing after her. But she was getting tired of running and she needed to find a safe-haven, just for a little while. No mater where she went, though, the bounty hunters had been able to track her down. She'd finally found a few days of respite on a small, out-of-the-way commerce planet where she'd learnt of the existence of an Ancient tablet. She'd asked around and found the man who owned it. She'd made up to him, flirting and making him trust her. She knew she'd succeeded when he allowed her to view the tablet, telling her the story behind it and even sharing the cipher. At first it had all been about the tablet and just how much she could sell it for. Then he'd told her that the treasure it mentioned was on Earth, Daniel Jackson's planet. That couldn't be just a coincidence, could it?

In the months she'd spent on the run, she'd made sure to inquire about the Tau'ri and what she'd learnt had intrigued her greatly. She'd been more than a little surprised to discover that these were the people responsible for the downfall of the Goa'uld. She remembered their primitive ship and almost didn't believe it. How could such a simple people take out the most powerful beings in the universe? It just hadn't seemed likely but everyone she'd asked told her the same thing. One day she'd overheard a conversation of three men who were wearing the strange uniforms she'd seen on the _Prometheus_. They were speaking of Daniel and one had mentioned that he understood Ancient. At the time, she'd played around with the idea of just how profitable that could be but now she was thinking about the tablet. What if she took it to Earth? Would he help find the treasure or simply dismiss her? It's true she'd had a difficult time forgetting Daniel. He'd challenged her morals, something she'd thought she'd rid herself of years ago. She'd felt an incessant need to find him and that frightened her. For so long she hadn't allowed herself to need anything and now she felt as if she had no control over this. She'd told herself that it was just some childish naivete of believing in faery stories and it would pass. Then she'd come across this tablet and it felt as if fate was forcing her to make a decision. Either go for it or miss out. She'd decided to go for it. If nothing else, she'd walk away with what looked to be a very sizeable treasure.

After acquiring the tablet she'd also procured herself a cargo ship. It had taken her almost a month to find a planet where the Tau'ri were expected but finally she'd landed on a planet where she was told a team called SG-12, whatever that meant, was to be in three days. So she'd waited and finally they'd shown up. Now all she had to do was convince them to allow her through their Chappa'ai, which was apparently more difficult than it sounded. She'd heard something about an "iris" that killed you on contact and she really didn't want to test that one. It shouldn't be too difficult to get them to let her in, though. They couldn't still be angry at her. After all, they'd gotten their ship back, relatively unharmed. And she _did_ have valuable information.

It was with this thought in mind that she moved out of the forest where she was told the Tau'ri team were encamped and she grinned as she took in the four men. Placing two fingers in her mouth, she let out a piercing whistle and waited for them to recognise her. It didn't take long as they aimed their weapons straight at her.

"How sweet, you _do_ remember me." Vala sauntered toward the men, hoping that the old lady had been right about this and she wasn't setting herself up for a fall.

()()()()

Wandering through Daniel's office, Vala had to keep reminding herself of exactly why she'd come to this planet. While she hadn't known just what to expect when she first saw him again, his coldness had shocked her. She knew they hadn't had the best introduction on the _Prometheus_ but she'd hoped he'd seen beyond her self-absorbed exterior to the real person beneath. Apparently she'd been wrong. She wasn't even sure why she was so surprised. No one ever took her seriously and she'd made a lot of money that way. Maybe she'd thought Daniel was different. She'd been disappointed at his lack of kindness and fell back on flirtation and sarcasm but that only seemed to make him angrier. He'd nearly left the room before his general stopped him and forced him to at least take a look at the tablet. After that, she'd gotten down to business. So now she was idly checking out the things in his office, wondering if any of it was worth a big enough profit because, if things didn't turn out well here, she might just have to abscond with a few trinkets. Best to know the layout just in case.

"So, where'd you get this?" he asked abruptly.

"The Jaffa may have won their freedom, but there are still more than a few Goa'uld out there." she explained as she moved away from his books and toward a stack of boxes. "Most of them have lost their dynasties, though, and they're either on the run or in hiding."

"Yeah, no doubt plotting some means of regaining their power." he mumbled.

"Yes, and in the meantime, they are having a lot of trouble maintaining the lifestyle to which they've grown accustomed over the last 5,000 years or so." Seriously, what was with all of the boxes? Was he planning to leave? That just wouldn't do, not after she'd gone to so much trouble to find him. She bit her lip thinking about the other items she'd brought with her. She didn't want to use the kor mak bracelets, but she realised now that they were the only way to ensure his compliance. Taking a deep breath, she moved over to stand next to him, rambling on about the many Goa'uld artefacts currently on the market. She smiled sweetly at him but her merely shook his head and looked back toward the tablet. She brushed it off and asked him how much he thought it was worth.

"Well, the Ancients aren't exactly known for secret stashes of gold." Was he laughing at her? She didn't have time to contemplate that, however, as he picked up one of the bracelets and examined it. Damn, he wasn't supposed to notice those. She picked up its mate, hoping he didn't realise what they were before she could follow through with her plan. "Wait a minute. These markings are Goa'uld. The treasure's supposed to be Ancient. What do they have to do with this?"

Well, so much for that. Time to think fast, she told herself. She told him they were only loosely related but when he asked how, she came up with the best story she had, hoping he believed her. "Have you ever heard of the Goa'uld Nut?" She had to hold in a shudder at the name. Qetesh had had dealings with that particular Goa'uld and they were not pretty.

"As in cashew? Pea? Oh, you mean the Egyptian sky goddess?"

"Yes." she said excitedly. Maybe this would be easier than she'd thought.

"Nope. Never heard of her."

Never mind. Oh, well... "Well, these were her ceremonial marriage bracelets. She wore one and her husband of the moment wore one."

"'Of the moment'"

Yep, he was definitely mocking her. "Yes, she had many. It's one of the few admirable things about her." And, oh, there were so very few. Suddenly she realised that he was distracted and quickly snapped the bracelet she'd been holding onto his wrist while snatching the other from him.

"Ow. What are you doing?" He tried to pull it off but it wouldn't budge. Vala grinned even as he moved away from her toward the guards. She continued to smile as they pulled their weapons on her and Daniel told her to take the bracelet off.

"Not until we find the treasure."

"What!?"

"These bracelets link us together." she said as she slapped the other one to her own wrist. "The tablet is mine and I want my fair share of what it leads to."

Daniel looked upset but she couldn't be bothered with that right now. She was going to get what she came for, no matter what it took.

()()()()

Okay, so not what she'd had in mind, Vala thought as she took in her surroundings. She was locked in a small grey room with few furnishings. The guards had dragged her away from Daniel just after she'd issued her ultimatum and placed her in here. Now she was idling around, wondering just what she'd gotten herself into. She was sitting on the desk, holding a strange looking light when the door opened and General Landry stormed in.

"Come to torture me?" she asked, aiming the light at him. She'd learnt early in life that it always paid to be on the offensive first.

"How old are you?"

"Hmm..." she said as she set the lamp down and made her way to him. "Mental abuse won't work either."

"I have a daughter about your age. Hasn't listened to me since she was twelve. Doesn't matter what I say or do." he told her and she had to resist the urge to roll her eyes. What was it with these Tau'ri and the need to share their problems?

"You're not going to bore me with your personal life, are you?" she asked when she couldn't take any more. "I have to admit, an hour or two of that might break me."

"I don't like being deceived." he said angrily.

"I'm not here to hurt any one." she said in her defence. And that much was true. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt Daniel. But a girl had to do what a girl had to do. She tried telling exactly that to Landry but he interrupted.

"I'm about as interested in your sob story and you are in mine." He continued to ramble along, another unpleasant Tau'ri attribute apparently, and she smiled and nodded in all the right places. But suddenly she wasn't feeling so well. A dizzying sensation came over her and she grabbed for the general. He was still speaking when everything went dark.

()()()()

When Vala finally awoke, she was staring up at a ceiling with blindingly white lights. When she glanced down, she discovered that someone had taken off her leathers and replaced them with a pair of ugly, baggy clothes. Why did this people insist on undressing her all the time? She tried to move her hands but found that they were being restrained. Great, that's just great. She slowly became aware of the voices in the room and looked up to see Colonel Mitchell and a large man talking to Daniel. The tall one, a Jaffa apparently, was explaining the purpose behind the bracelets. When he got to the part about both wearers being equally affected, she thought she was going to be sick. Why couldn't anything work out easily for her?

"That's just about the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

All three men turned toward her and stared. Finally Daniel raised himself up and glared. "You didn't know?" he asked, incredulous.

"Well, I knew it would make you sick. I didn't know it would have the same effect on me too."

"How could you not _know_?" Daniel said angrily.

"Because the person I stole it from didn't tell me that part!" She matched his tone. Suddenly a pillow was hurtled at her and she deflected it away with a grunt. He acted as if she had _wanted _this to happen. She tried to listen in as the men discussed how to take it off but was distracted by her own thoughts. What had made her think this was a good idea? Suddenly his blue eyes flashed in her mind. Oh, right.

"Please tell me you know how to take this off!" Daniel yelled, interrupting her musings.

"Yes, of course I do." she said after a moment. "I mean...that's assuming the person I stole them from was honest about that part."

"Just...do it."

"All right!" Was he always this annoying? "As soon as we find the treasure, and I get my fair share."

Again the men started talking amongst themselves. She nearly cheered when Mitchell mentioned going after the treasure. She could get to like that man.

"Look," Mitchell said. "the tablet is written in Ancient code, right? I know it's not the lost city of Atlantis we're looking for here, but whatever it is could be worth finding."

Vala held her breath as she waited for Daniel to respond.

"Or you're just going to have to marry that chick."

"Yeah!" Vala said happily. "Let's make babies!"

Daniel sighed again and she laughed. Oh, this was going to be fun.

()()()()

It had taken a couple of hours but Vala and Daniel had been released from the infirmary and she'd wasted no time in changing back to her leathers. How anyone could walk around in those hideous blue...things they'd put on her, she couldn't understand. Now she was wandering about Daniel's office, perusing the boxes once again. She noted happily that there were less of them now and more things were back on the shelves. That gave her some hope. Maybe everything would turn out all right after all. She'd just discovered a sceptre-like artefact and was assessing its value when Daniel interrupted.

"Are you sure you have this cipher right?"

"Yes, why?" Of course she was sure. Did he believe her to be an idiot?

"I can't believe I missed the _Daedalus_ for this." he muttered and moved past her to his desk.

"Get over it." she told him, not allowing him to dampen her spirits. She felt that they were finally on the brink of something here and she could tell Colonel Mitchell felt the same as she listened in on his chat with Teal'c. He was just saying he thought Daniel would come up with something when the man in question started muttering again.

"This can't be right."

"What is it?" she asked excitedly and wondered vaguely if Mitchell was psychic. She tried to keep up as he started rambling on about Ancient databases but she grew confused and knew the others had as well when she looked over to them for assistance. "And what does this have to do with the tablet?" she finally asked.

"See, the tablet talks about a treasure but it doesn't make any specific reference at all to where it is."

"Well it is supposed to be here. That's what the person I stole it from told me..." She trailed off a bit as the each turned to glare at her. Had she really just let that slip? "Before I stole it from him." Thankfully she was saved from any more questions when Daniel continued, saying he believed he knew where the treasure was located.

"All right, time out." Mitchell said, making a strange gesture with his hands. "If the tablet doesn't say..."

"It doesn't say, specifically, but it...it is signed, by a guy named Myrddin."

The name meant absolutely nothing to her so she again glanced to the others, hoping for clarification. None was forthcoming as they looked just as mystified as she felt.

"Never heard of him." Mitchell commented. 

"I-I think you have." Daniel stuttered, growing more excited with each word. "And the amazing thing is, his name also appears in the database."

"The Ancient who carved this tablet is one of the Ancients who returned to Earth from Atlantis?" Teal'c asked dubiously.

"Yes."

"I have an Uncle Marvin." Mitchell put in sceptically. "I'm pretty sure I don't know any Myrddins."

"Uh...That's because his name in English sounds a little different. It...have you ever heard of...Merlin?"

"Merlin? King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table? Merlin?" Mitchell asked. At Daniel's assurance, he continued. "Was an Ancient?"

"I think so."

"See, _that_ is what I'm talking about!"

Throughout the strange exchange, Vala grew more and more confused. She had no idea what they were talking about and she could see that Teal'c was just as in the dark. But apparently they'd stumbled across something great as Daniel quickly got to work on his computer, not saying another word for at least an hour. This had better be good, for all she was having to put up with.

()()()()

Vala had never been so bored in her entire life. Listening to Daniel go on...and on and on...about some hollow hill that may or may not actually exist was her idea of torture. And she'd seen enough torture in her life to be an expert. She'd gotten excited when Mitchell had mentioned something called the 'Holy Grail' but she'd quickly been shot down when she asked about it. Wasn't there one Tau'ri with the appetite for treasure? Such a curious people.

Thankfully the general had seemed just as annoyed with the lecture because he quickly put an end to it, forcing Daniel to get to the point. He had come up with an idea to use some technology to see into the hill, to figure out if the stories were true. Why he couldn't have just said that, she didn't know, but he'd gotten General Landry's approval and now they were aboard the _Prometheus _on their way to find the treasure. She was having a difficult time containing her excitement. At least about the treasure. As for Daniel...Well, she'd pretty much given up the idea of him being her true love. There was no way she could spend her life with one so boring. And he'd shown so much promise when they'd first met. Oh, well. Better to cut her losses and move on. But not without her treasure. She'd come too far for that. That's why she hadn't fought when Daniel insisted she be made to stay in this cell. The same one she'd broken out of before, as a matter of fact. Didn't these people ever learn? If Daniel didn't come for her soon, though, she'd just have to make a break for it. In fact, she was just about to do it when the door opened to reveal Daniel, Mitchell and Teal'c. She gave them her most winning smile and went with them to the control room. Walking slightly ahead with Daniel, she had to keep herself from jumping up and down.

"What do you think we'll find down there?" she asked.

Daniel sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. He seemed to do that a lot, at least around her. He looked behind them but sighed even deeper when he realised that Mitchell and Teal'c were too far back to be of any assistance. She grinned at him again.

"Let's just get there and find out what they've discovered. Chances are there's nothing here and we've come on a wild goose chase."

"What do water fowl have to do with this?" she asked perplexed.

"You know what, never mind. Even if they do find something, we probably won't be going down."

"What!" Vala stopped dead and pulled him to a stop with her. "It's my tablet! I have more right than any of you to go down there."

"Well, maybe if you hadn't put these damn bracelets on us, it wouldn't be an issue!"

They stood and glared for a few moments when Mitchell interrupted. "Everything all right here?"

"Fine." they said in unison and turned to stalk down the corridor, neither aware that they unconsciously matched strides. When they reached the control room, Vala had to hold in a smile when she recognised it but couldn't resist the need to harass Daniel a little.

"Ah, now this brings back memories."

"How's that?" he asked without looking at her.

"Isn't this where I beat you up?"

"No." he said, refusing to play along.

"No, I'm pretty sure that right there is where I crushed your-" She started to caress his cheek before Mitchell interrupted again.

"All right, excuse me, kids." he said, pushing between them. "Marks, what do you got?"

The young man explained about how the Asgard sensors were able to depict some caverns and Vala felt her excitement growing again. She leant in to get a closer look, making certain to use her...assets to her advantage.

"Can you see what's in there, say large piles of precious metals?" Her nearness had the desired effect as Marks reddened and seemed at a loss for words. Unfortunately, Daniel pulled her away before she got any information. She was going to say something when she felt his hand on her shoulder. She sent him a questioning glance before shrugging and going back to hear Marks' explanation. She'd analyse Daniel later. There were more important things to do now, such as figuring out how to get down there. The men were arguing but none of them seemed to realise the obvious.

"Rings." she finally said and they all looked at her strangely. She wanted to roll her eyes but decided to explain instead. Maybe they'd let her go if she was nice. "The Ancients were the Gate Builders, right? And they invented the rings, too. They had to get in and out of there somehow, and I know this ship has rings. It's how I-"

"Yeah, yeah." Daniel interrupted, placing a gentle hand to her back. "Good times, good times. She's right, though."

Oh, how she loved to hear that.

"If there are rings down there, we should be able to lock on." Marks informed them. "But your radios won't work."

Vala couldn't help the smile that slowly lit her face this time and it only grew larger when Mitchell said they'd all be going down. All that treasure...She was pulled away from her calculations when the colonel spoke again.

"Ladies first." he said looking at her.

She'd never been called a lady and nearly snorted at the title. Instead, she decided to mess with Daniel some more. "Well then, after you."

For a moment she thought he was actually going to say something but he turned to leave without a word. No matter, she was finally going to get her treasure.

()()()()

"Don't you think I should have a weapon?" Vala argued as they readied themselves to be ringed into the cavern. "I really am quite proficient with them, you know."

"I know." Daniel said mockingly. "And, no, you should not have a weapon."

Vala crossed her arms with a pout as the rings activated. She hadn't known quite what to expect when they reached the cavern but a vast expanse of nothing was not even on the list. "Well, I haven't been this disappointed since Daniel and I had sex." She didn't even bother to look back to see his reaction to her tease but decided to walk toward a staircase with a stone altar at the top. Suddenly a sword appeared and Vala stopped in her tracks. Well, that was unexpected.

"A sword in a stone." Mitchell said as if that meant something.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, getting quite tired of all these Earth references she didn't understand. It made her feel out of her element and she certainly did not like that feeling.

"Well, King Arthur once pulled a sword from a stone as proof of his righteousness and royalty." Daniel explained.

"Excalibur." Mitchell said.

"Actually, that's a common misconception." Daniel informed them and continued to drone on. Oh great, another lecture. She soon grew tired of it so decided to get a closer look at the sword. Mitchell seemed to have the same idea because he walked up to it, laughing as he attempted to pull it out.

"Give it a try, Muscles, I'll give you half." she whispered to the Jaffa at her side. He looked as if he was about to say something then decided against it. She gave him and encouraging smile but was interrupted by Mitchell.

"Okay, yeah, that's in there pretty good."

Vala took a quick step back when she heard a strange rumbling noise and watched in amazement when a hologram appeared before them. It spoke of honour, righteousness, and other boring virtues Vala knew she didn't possess. But then it mentioned a 'storehouse of riches' and she couldn't help the grin that lit her face.

"That's incredible." Daniel said as the image disappeared. He started to ramble again so she decided to move toward the sword herself.

"Yes, yes, yes." she said in frustration and wrapped her hand around the hilt of the weapon, trying fruitlessly to pull it out. "Fascinating is the one thing it is not. How do we prove ye worthy and get all to be revealed?"

"I have no idea, but something tells me 'truth of spirit' might be a problem for you."

"You know nothing about me."

"That's because everything that comes out of your mouth is a lie."

Not everything, she thought and was about to say so when Mitchell interrupted...again. He seemed to have a knack for that.

"Don't make me separate you two."

She decided to keep her mouth shut this time and tried once more to pull the sword out as Teal'c suggested they check out the tunnels. Mitchell agreed and left with the Jaffa, leaving her with Daniel. She watched him leave then looked back at the irritating man she was stuck with, in more ways than one. Letting out a deep breath, she headed for the other tunnel, hoping they'd find the treasure quickly and she could be on her way. Following the tunnel, she once again tried to convince Daniel to give her a weapon but he still refused. She even tried the old 'icky creature' thing but he wouldn't listen.

"I'm sure if there is a monster down here, it's going to be much more scared of you than you are of it." he said in a disinterested tone. "Especially once it gets to know you."

She stopped for a moment and stared at his back. Yep, she couldn't wait to be on her way again. Putting aside her thoughts for a moment, she followed him around a corner to be met by a dead end in the form of a room. When they stepped up to the opening, a group of lights lit by themselves. Daniel said something about candlelight and fire but when she asked what he meant by it he let it pass. Shrugging, she entered the room, deciding to explore, when the door suddenly closed. She took a step toward it but it was too late. Flashing her torch around the room, she realised there was no other exit. She looked back to Daniel in the hopes he knew what to do next.

"Okay, the hologram said that 'only those with the wealth of knowledge and truth of spirit will pass'. This has to be a test."

Well, even she realised that. So, no immediate help from him. They moved toward a stone altar in the centre of the room. It held two pots, one gold and one silver, both with Ancient writing underneath. "What does it say?" she asked, indicating the gold one.

"It says, 'the universe is infinite'."

"That seems 'infinitely' _not _useful." she said in annoyance and pointed to the silver pot. "What about this one?"

"'The treasure is in this pot.'"

"Really? I was hoping for something a little more substantial, but okay..." She reached for it but Daniel stopped her. "Too obvious?"

"Give me a minute." he said. After a few seconds, though, she grew bored and went for the pot again. "Not a minute." She stared at him for a few seconds more before he said, "Still not a minute."

Sighing, she moved away from him, hoping to find an answer to the puzzle but none was forthcoming, so she moved back to the altar. "Okay, how about this? We open both of them. Whichever one the treasure's in is the right one."

"No, I think that's the wrong idea. There's two pots here. I think the point of the exercise is to only open one pot."

"This says, 'treasure is inside'."

"Right. Which makes it the obvious first choice."

"So, over to the gold-"

"No."

"Back to the silver then." Finally fed up with the game, she lifted the lid amidst Daniel's protestations. She looked down and saw nothing. "It's empty. There's nothing I hate more than a bold faced lie." Placing the lid back, she went for the gold but Daniel grabbed her arm.

"Wou...Would you stop!"

"What? We're already trapped in here. How much worse could it get?" Suddenly a rumbling sounded and she looked up to see that the ceiling was lowering on them.

"How about that much?"

"It was a mistake the moment I said it. The _moment_." She pulled her arm away from Daniel and lifted the lid from the gold one. "This one's empty, too!"

"I know!"

"That doesn't make sense!"

"I know!"

"So what do we do?"

"I don't know!"

"You don't know!? So now is a bad time to tell you I hate small spaces!?" She was beginning to panic now and she was not one to do so often. This was bad. Very bad.


	5. Chapter 4: Avalon Pt 2

**Chapter 4: Avalon Pt. 2**

Glancing back up at the ceiling, Vala could feel the panic rising even more. She hadn't lied when she told Daniel she hated small spaces and this room was getting smaller by the second. "Think! You are the expert on all things Ancient."

"Yeah, you didn't care about that two minutes ago. Let's try this one. How about this one?"

"So think!"

"I'm thinking!"

"Sorry, but could you possibly think a little bit faster?"

"'The universe is infinite.'"

Not helping! "No doubt it's deliberately ironic that we're in an ever decreasing space!" Oh, she really hated small spaces. It reminded her of the week she'd spent in a cell before becoming host to Qetesh.

"No. It's the second part of an ancient proverb. 'There's only one truth: the universe is infinite.'"

"How does that help us?"

"'There is only one truth...' This pot says: 'The treasure is in this pot.'"

"It's not in either of them." Did he just forget that part?

"I know, we did it wrong. So we have to see if we can do it again."

Daniel replaced the silver lid while she did the same with the gold. He started rambling about the infinite universe and she couldn't help rolling her eyes. The ceiling was nearly touching her head, couldn't he hurry it up? Finally he lifted the lid from the gold pot and she saw the shocked look that crossed his face. Looking down, she saw a gold coin. Suddenly the ceiling lifted and the doorway opened.

"Wow. Good thing you know your ancient proverbs, otherwise we'd be..." she trailed off as a sudden thought occurred to her. "Mitchell."

"Teal'c." Daniel said and rushed off to help his friend. Vala was going to follow when she spied the coin again. What could taking one measly gold coin hurt? Before she could think twice, she snatched it up and followed Daniel through the tunnels. When she reached him, he was crouched down on the floor yelling to Mitchell to tell him what his puzzle was. She crouched down next to him, trying to hear what was going on inside. She heard Daniel let out a defeated sigh when he realised he couldn't help Mitchell because he couldn't see the puzzle. Suddenly everything became quiet and she held her breath for a moment.

"Teal'c!" Daniel screamed.

"Look, I didn't hear any screaming or squishing sounds, so-" She'd meant it to sound reassuring but by the look on his face she knew she'd failed. Thankfully the door opened to reveal an intact Mitchell and Teal'c and she breathed in relief.

"You did it..." Daniel said in shock.''

"Yeah, thanks. The symbols were actually the numbers one through eight and in their mirror image."

Vala stared at the retreating back of the men in wonder before following them back to the main chamber. That was a close one and one of the many reasons she chose to work alone. She didn't like this feeling of helplessness she had when watching someone else put their life on the line. At least alone, all she had to worry about was herself. When the reached the chamber, Mitchell went immediately to the sword and pulled it out easily. She grinned in excitement until a man in armour appeared and took an involuntary step back as Mitchell aimed his own weapon at the man. Suddenly the knight started attacking and the two combatants came down the steps, forcing Vala and the others to take another step back. She watched on worriedly as they continued to fight, hiding behind Daniel and cringing each time Mitchell was hit. At one point the knight sliced him across the back and Vala leant over to check for injuries.

"I don't think it actually cut you." she told him, trying to sound upbeat.

"Well, it hurt like hell." he shot back as he stood and was quickly hit by the knight again.

"I don't know." she said to Daniel. "I don't think he's actually that good."

"Okay, so I flunked fencing." Mitchell said and struggled to his feet once more only to collapse in pain when the knight hit him twice more. Teal'c called out for the sword but it sailed right through him. Somehow finding his way to the weapon, Mitchell picked it back up and continued but Vala could see he was beyond exhausted. Someone had to stop this madness.

"Okay." she said frantically. "That thing is going to kill him."

"Everybody get to the rings!" Daniel yelled.

She was more than happy to acquiesce but it seemed Mitchell had gotten a second wind., pushing Teal'c off of him and attacking the knight with renewed vigour. Vala shouted as Mitchell sliced through the hologram one last time and it disappeared. Unfortunately no treasure appeared as a result.

"I don't understand, we solved the riddles." At Teal'c's glance, she backtracked a bit. "Well, he solved one and he solved one, and he won the fight." she said while gesturing back and forth between Daniel and Mitchell.

"And what?" Mitchell asked. "Nothing?"

"But you're the only one who defeated the knight. The sword was obviously designed to sense whoever pulled it from the stone. What if there are sensors detecting us?"

"Are you suggesting we should leave?" Teal'c asked.

Leave? Without her treasure? No way. Before she could say anything, though, Daniel interrupted.

"It's worth a try."

"All right." Mitchell said and staggered over the ring's keypad.

She grudgingly made her way over to the platform without a word. Fighting them would do her no good right now. Once back on the ship, they waited for Mitchell to come back and it didn't take long. The rings activated within moments and Mitchell appeared, bringing with him falling rubble.

"What happened?" Daniel asked.

"The whole place is collapsing. We must have done something wrong."

Uh oh, Vala thought, turning away from the others. She'd actually forgotten about the coin in all of the excitement.

"What'd you take?" Daniel accused.

"What?" she asked innocently.

"'Truth of spirit.'"

"I resent-"

"'Truth of spirit.' What'd you take?"

She knew when she was caught so she dug the coin out of her bodice and handed it over. Daniel gave it to Mitchell who ringed back down to the cavern. Seeing that Daniel was about to deliver another of his moralistic lectures, she turned away. She really was not in the mood right now. All she wanted was her treasure.

()()()()

Now this was what she'd come to Earth for, huge piles of gold and other valuables. She was lounging in one of said piles, enjoying the feel of coins raining down on her. Never in her life had she seen so much treasure. Maybe she could finally stop running around the galaxy and settle somewhere. Somewhere the Alliance couldn't find her. But that bubble burst the minute she overheard Mitchell asking Daniel if they were going to allow her to keep the treasure and he answered with a solid no. She should have known better than to pin her hopes on anything. After that, she only half-listened as Daniel started reading some story but her ears perked up when she heard the word 'Stargates'.

"The Ancients built the Stargates." she said as casually as she could. This could be valuable information and she didn't want Daniel on the defensive yet.

"Well, it stands to reason they weren't always called 'the Ancients'."

"What do you care?" Mitchell asked her. "You got your treasure."

"Hmm. Let's see what's of more value. A few trinkets that apparently I won't be allowed to keep..." She threw a necklace over her shoulder for emphasis. "Or previously undiscovered secrets about the Gate Builders, the most powerful race to ever inhabit the galaxy." Even the Tau'ri couldn't be _that_ stupid, she thought as she sauntered over to the men. She made sure to listen intently this time as they talked about the Ancients being from another galaxy. She was calculating just how much that information could be worth when they were interrupted by Lieutenant Marks.

"Colonel Mitchell." he called and they all looked over as he revealed a strange looking device with a blue crystal atop. She tried not to smile as she added it into her calculations. Oh, this trip to Earth had _so_ been worth it.

()()()()

Three days. She'd been stuck in this subterranean prison for the last three days! She was going crazy and it wasn't only due to the fact that this entire base looked exactly the same. It wasn't even so much that she wasn't allowed to go anywhere without a guard. She was used to people distrusting her. No, it was mostly because of Daniel Jackson. He had to be the most infuriating man she'd ever met. And given the amount of Goa'uld she knew, well...If she'd wondered if she'd imagined the passion she'd seen in him on the _Prometheus_, she wasn't wondering any more. Everything they said to each other seemed to result in an argument. She idly wondered if that same passion would transfer over to the bedroom. It didn't look as if she'd get the chance to find out, though, as they engaged in yet another argument.

"_I_ am the one who brought this tablet to you. _I_ am the one who came up with the idea of using the rings to get into the cavern. Why shouldn't I get my fair share?"

"You cannot possibly be thinking of using this knowledge for profit!" Daniel seemed outraged by the very idea and she scoffed at his naivete.

"I have been around the galaxy long enough to know that knowledge is power, and understanding the technology left behind by the Ancients in the most powerful knowledge around."

"And if you think I'm going to stay linked with you for the rest of my natural-"

"Focus!" Mitchell broke in, effectively breaking them apart. "Maybe we should focus on the task at hand."

With one final glare at Daniel, she moved over to the table where the device they'd found in the cavern sat, listening as Daniel and Dr. Lee rambled about someone named General O'Neill and a barber from Indiana, wherever that was. She'd met Bill Lee two days ago when she'd followed Daniel to his lab and had taken an instant liking to the man. He was nice and actually seemed to listen to her when she had an idea. Unlike a certain archaeologist she knew. Looking intently at the stone Daniel held, she wondered how much that was worth when Mitchell interrupted her musings.

"Don't they have to be activated by someone with the Ancient gene?"

"Well, that's what we thought at first, but no, like most Ancient technology, the stones actually just need to be initialised." Bill told them.

"By someone with the gene." Mitchell guessed.

"No, you're right. Which these obviously have been."

"So any one of us can take the pony ride."

"Yeah," Daniel said. "And I figured that was going to be me. I mean, I did miss the _Daedalus_ for this, so..."

"You're going to dine out on that for a while?"

"Yeah, yeah. Like you wouldn't believe."

"Well, no one's going to make an argument against that. You are the world's "foremost" expert on the Ancients. But we got two stones."

"Yes, and this one's mine." Vala said as she went around the table and grabbed the other stone. No way were they leaving her out of this. If not for her, they wouldn't have even known about this device. "Thank you."

"Excuse me, how do you figure that?" Mitchell asked.

"Well, Daniel and I are linked." She placed her arm on his shoulder, needing to annoy him.

"From this point on, for the record, we don't have to be." He pushed her arm off and she had to resist the urge to elbow him in the ribs.

"He's only guessing that this device is for communication. What if it's a transporter of some kind, and he gets whisked away and can't get back?"

"Actually, we've done a fair bit of research on this device, and I can say with absolute-" When she gave Bill a dubious look, he backtracked. "...relative...certainty...oh for...Look we have studied devices like this for years, and at some point ultimately you just have to turn it on."

Well now, finally an idea she could get behind.

"I'm going to give it a try." Daniel said.

"Where he goes, I go." she told them.

"I'm not going anywhere." he singsonged.

"So he thinks." She matched his tone.

"It's a communication device."

Before she could retort, Bill interrupted, telling them he was going to be watching from the observation room. Mitchell followed and she gave a small smile before turning back to Daniel. "So, what do we do?"

"Well, I'm guessing we just put these two stones in any of these spots."

"Any two?"

"Well, there aren't any markings to indicate otherwise, so any two. And..."

She did as Daniel said and waited for...something. When nothing happened, she looked back to Daniel for an explanation. Before she could say anything, though, she felt a strange pull as if she were going through a Stargate. Only it felt different, she just couldn't explain the sensation. When it finally stopped, she glanced around and realised she was not longer at the SGC. Ha! It _was _a transporter. She found herself in a strange, rustic looking house with herbs hanging from the ceiling. It reminded her of some of the planets she'd visited with her father as a child. Looking down, she noticed she was also wearing a dress. Now that was weird. Placing her hands in the pockets of the apron, she wandered through the house.

"Hello." She turned at the voice, noticing a young man across the room. "Please, don't be afraid. My name is Daniel Jackson."

Daniel? That couldn't be Daniel. And why was he talking to her like he didn't recognise her? "It's me, Vala." she told him.

"Okay. Not a transporter."

"Where are we?" she asked, glancing around again.

"I don't know." Daniel started walking away so she followed. Suddenly he had the oddest look on his face and when they stopped in front of a mirror, she knew why. Standing where her reflection should be was a buxom blonde. "But I think we're in them."

Poking her cheek with her finger, she saw the woman in the mirror do the same. Oh, this was not good. Taking one last look at Daniel, or whoever he was at the moment, she started wandering around the house again and he did the same. She stopped at a window and saw people milling about in similar clothes to that which she wore. These were the Gate Builders? She turned back to Daniel. "I don't understand. This is an odd communication device. I mean, I can't talk to this poor woman. I have no access to her mind, her thoughts, her memories. I'm just inside of her looking out through her eyes." And it felt disturbingly like her time with Qetesh. Only this time _she _was the one in control and she wasn't sure she liked that idea. She knew better than most what it was like to have someone controlling her every move. Shaking away such thoughts, she heard Daniel mention that Jack fellow again and how he described the experience as having visions of the person on the other end. She asked if they were ever in complete control of each other's bodies, hoping for some useful information but he quickly negated that idea, dashing her hopes.

"Do you think we're actually in another galaxy?" she asked, checking the body out in the mirror again.

"I don't know." he told her absently.

"Why these people?" There had to be a reason, right? It couldn't all be random.

"I don't know." he said again and she was becoming quite annoyed by the constant answer. For someone so brilliant, he certainly didn't know much.

"Well, maybe it's just me, but this house...these...clothes. We don't look the way I'd expect the Ancients to look." When all she got out of him was a succinct 'no' she tried another tack. "What do you suppose their names are?"

"Harrid and Sallis."

"How do you know that?" she asked suspiciously.

"Well because it, um, says so right here." He pointed to a plaque on the wall and read it aloud. "It says: 'This is the...home of Harrid and Sallis Cicera."

"Wait, I missed that. You-You mumbled it."

"No, I didn't." he denied.

"Well, you said something that I couldn't understand."

"Well, I didn't say it because I don't really know what it means. So I don't want to say it out loud in case I...know what it means."

He said it so quickly, it took a moment to process it all and, when she did, she eyed him suspiciously. "Well, go on."

"Nuptial. It means nuptial." He said it with such a despairing tone, she had to stifle a laugh.

"As in we're..." She knew what it meant but she wanted to hear him say it.

"Married, yeah."

Vala smirked, thinking that this could turn out all right, after all.

"Let's go look outside." he said abruptly.

Or not, she thought as she followed him out the door. Seeing the village up close was vastly different than viewing it through the window. It looked even more drab, if that were possible. "Not quite what I expected when I pictured a civilisation of gate builders."

"No." he answered in a thoughtful tone. "Something tells me this is not the same people who built a spaceship capable of travelling across the universe."

She was about to say something else when they were interrupted by a young couple on the bridge above them. When the man spoke and she could actually understand him, Daniel explained that the communicator was likely translating for them. That was handy. If only they could figure out how the rest of it worked. The young man mentioned prostration, which did _not_ sound at all good to her, but she went with it, pasting on a large smile until he left. Leaning into Daniel, she asked what they should do next and tried to control the shiver that raced up her spine as he rubbed his hand along her back. Even as he pushed her away, claiming that people were beginning to stare, he kept his hands on her arms. Maybe he wasn't as immune to her charms as he'd like her to believe.

"Well, should we walk about and try to appear normal?"

After a moment of consideration, he placed her arm in the crook of his and they started strolling about. "Nope, not what I was expecting at all."

"Me neither." she agreed.

"On the bright side, I think he was looking at me when he said 'Harrid'."

"Please," she scoffed at him. "He was staring at me the whole time."

He didn't answer but she could see the slight quirk to his lips and she smiled. Nope, not immune to her charms at all. As they continued to stroll arm in arm, she noticed a mass group of people gathering at a staircase in the town square. When they all started kneeling, she and Daniel followed suit. Ah, prostration. This was going to be fun. Suddenly a man kneeling beside them started speaking in a whisper.

"We must meet. By the Portico of Light at the Hour of Bly." When Daniel tried to say something, the man ordered him to remain silent. Well, that was intriguing, Vala thought. Hopefully this whole prostration thing wouldn't last too long and they could get on with investigating.

()()()()

"Well, that was fun." Vala said with sarcasm dripping from each word. "Six hours of prostration." When Daniel started roaming around the house, she followed and continued her rant. "Why don't we just tell someone who we are and what's going on? I mean, isn't that supposed to be the whole point of this, to communicate?"

"I don't think these people are going to entirely understand. Hey, did you hear what that guy said when we first came to the service?"

"Something about meeting..." Did he have to keep moving? She was exhausted.

"Yeah, at the Portico of Light at the Hour of Bly."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked in frustration.

"I have no idea."

Okay, that was getting old, fast. "What are you looking for?"

"I don't know." he told her and headed for the stairs. She reluctantly followed, pulling her heavy skirt with her. Qetesh had favoured clothing with much less material and Vala found herself wishing for that wardrobe at the moment. Pulling her thoughts back to Daniel, she listened as he rambled on. "Some reason as to why we're in these particular people, these specific bodies. I mean, it can't be totally random."

"Uh, I have a more pressing question." she said as she followed him into a bedroom. "Do you have any idea how we're supposed to detach from them?"

"No." he said, finally stopping his search. "And that's another thing that's got me worried. Have you tried?"

"Hmm." she said with a nod. Numerous times in the last six hours, she thought. "Nothing."

"It doesn't seen to be something I can will to make happen."

Vala took off her shoes as Daniel went back to his search. Glancing around, she noticed a bed and took a flying leap for it, groaning as the soft surface cushioned her aching limbs. "Maybe it's about removing the stones on Earth."

"Yeah, unfortunately, we can't tell the people on Earth that we need them to remove them. We'll just have to wait until they figure that out for themselves."

"Maybe they have already, and it had no effect."

"I'm just going to rule out that possibility." He looked just as unnerved by that thought as she felt. Then another struck her.

"Do you think these people are in our bodies?" And, if they are, what could they possibly be doing? Oh, there was a train of thought she didn't need right now. She was only half-listening as Daniel theorised that this was not how the technology was supposed to work when she felt a lump under the mattress. Reaching under it, she discovered a book, similar to the ones the villagers had at prostration and opened it. What she saw almost made her want to cry. There were two stones identical to the ones that had gotten her and Daniel into this mess. No, it wasn't just a random choice, after all. She called for Daniel but he dismissed it quickly as he went back to rummaging about. She urged him to take a closer look at it but he still barely spared her a glance. She once again attempted to get his attention, telling him she thought he'd find it interesting.

"Yeah? When did you start being able to read Ancient?"

"I can't. But this looked familiar." She cracked it open again and tried not to smirk at his disbelieving face.

"How...Where..." He didn't get anything else out when they heard an insistent knocking at the door downstairs. They looked toward each other then quickly headed for the stairs. As Daniel cautiously opened the door, Vala slipped her shoes on and waited to see who it was.

"Thank those full of value." came the voice of the man they'd seen at prostration. "I was worried when you did not meet me."

"Yes. Sorry about that."

"Why did you not meet me?" the man asked before spotting her. "Why are you not sharing leaves with the Administrator's wife?"

Sharing leaves? Oh boy. "I...forgot."

"We are already suspected. We must not alter our behaviour."

"Suspected of what?" Daniel asked.

"Harrid, what ails you? Did I not know better, I would fear you are trying to entrap me."

"No. I-I wouldn't dream of trying to..."

"Entrap you? How?" Vala interrupted. She felt they were on to something here and if she left it up to Daniel they'd still be in these bodies when they were old and grey. Someone had to take action.

"Stop this, please." the man begged.

"Okay, you know what..." Daniel began hesitantly. "Uh, please. Would you, would you sit?" Turning to her he told her to go with him and she acquiesced, not knowing what else to do. She just hoped he had a damn good plan.

Once they were seated, Daniel began his explanation. Vala could tell by the look on the man's face that he was more than a little stunned by the revelation and she really couldn't blame him. It was a lot to take in. Hell, she was having a hard time believing it and she was right in the middle of it all. Once he finished, Daniel gave the man a moment to process everything before asking how he was doing.

"By the stars." he whispered with a queer smile. "Forgive me, I am Fannis."

It took her a moment to realise what had happened but when she did, she nearly collapsed in relief and rested a hand on Daniel's shoulder. He actually believed them.

"Uh, nice to meet you." Daniel said excitedly. "We're from a place called Earth."

"Could I speak to Harrid?" Fannis asked.

Daniel explained that Harrid's consciousness was suppressed so long as they were connected and Fannis didn't even seem that shocked over it. When he mentioned that Harrid always assumed that the stones were a source of communication, she couldn't quite hide her surprise.

"You know about the stones?" Daniel asked, obviously sharing her surprise.

"We are curators." Fannis explained. He went on to speak of an ancestral burial ground that had been discovered and that it went against _The Book of Origin_ to even investigate such history, hence the hiding of the stones. But when he came to the part about a race of humans that pre-dated the Ori, she grew excited and interrupted.

"Excuse me." she said to Fannis then turned to Daniel. "Daniel, what if these gods, the Ori, are the people left behind by the Alterans?"

"You think they ascended?" he asked, actually considering the idea.

"It's possible. The Alterans left a long, long time ago, and what we know of the Ancients, they learnt to evolve and ascend. What if the people who remained here did too?"

"That would make these people a subsequent evolution of humans, which is apparently what happened in our galaxy after the Ancients we know ascended."

"And it would explain why they are not as advanced as we might expect."

"No, but the religion doesn't fit the profile. The ascended beings I know don't pose as gods. I mean, that's the one explicit rule they _do_ follow, is that they don't meddle in the affairs of the lower plains of existence."

"The Ori are not posing." Fannis interrupted. "We do not doubt their powers, just their word and intention. Their power is as real as the strength of belief in all followers." Suddenly he turned back to her. "You were late for leaves with the Administrator's wife. Sallis and she are acquaintances."

"So, what should I do?" she asked even though she had a bad feeling as to the answer she was about to receive.

"Can you not disconnect and allow Sallis to return?"

"No, apparently we can't do that." Daniel told him.

"Then you must pose as Sallis, or we will be discovered."

Oh, she'd been afraid of that. When Daniel turned to her with a worried expression, she tried to put forth her most sincere face. "I can do that." He turned away still looking sceptical and she couldn't say she blamed him. She wasn't sure she believed it herself.

()()()()

Okay, so sharing leaves with the Administrator's wife wasn't so bad, after all. When Vala had arrived, she'd discovered a pudgy little woman with mousy brown hair and a stern face. Vala had given the woman her most engaging smile and apologised for being late. Gascha, which was her name according to Fannis, barely nodded in response and began pouring the tea. Vala mentally shrugged and reached for the cup with a quiet thank you. She nearly dropped it at the gasp she heard from the other woman. She tried to talk to her, but Gascha just kept ranting about some blessing said over the leaves before they drank. Why hadn't Fannis told her about that? Okay, time for some quick thinking.

"Listen, I'm not who you think I am." Gascha finally stopped her ranting and stared at her suspiciously. Oh, how she wished Daniel was here. "My name is Vala Mal Doran and I am using a kind of technology that allows me to inhabit this body. I am from a distant galaxy..." That was all she got out before Gascha went off on another tangent, this one being about Vala...er, Sallis being overcome. She tried to explain but it was beginning to sound a bit too much like when she'd been freed from Qetesh and no one believed she was no longer the Goa'uld. She started to panic and, without thinking, told Gascha to go frell herself. That only seemed to make it worse as a group of men grabbed her and took her toward the town centre. She tried to fight them off as memories of her stoning filled her mind, but they were too strong and she had no choice but to go along. When they broke through the crowd, she spotted Daniel and called out to him.

"What happened?" he asked, looking concerned.

"It didn't go so well."

"Yeah, I can see that." He tried to move toward her but two men pulled him back as the Administrator started off on how she'd been 'overcome'. Daniel tried to explain but no one would listen and she was becoming more frightened by the moment. This was just like the aftermath of Qetesh. Then the Administrator mentioned fire.

"Fire?" She was really starting to panic now. This was actually _worse_ than Qetesh. Suddenly two men lit a bucket afire and they tipped it into the alter.

"Hallowed are the Ori." the Administrator said in a monotone and Vala could feel herself begin to shake. As she felt the ever increasing heat of the fire coming toward her, she tried to explain to Daniel what had happened. He started to desperately explain who they were and where they'd come from but no one seemed to believe him. She could see the fire come closer and couldn't believe that it might end this way. After all of the atrocities she'd survived, she was about to die in a distant galaxy, inhabiting a body that wasn't hers, for crimes she hadn't committed. She wanted to live but, as the flames started to lick up her dress, she knew it was all over. She called out for Daniel one last time but soon the pain was too much, it drove all thought from her head. She let out a scream just before she descended into darkness. Then there was nothing.

()()()()

Daniel watched as the flames extinguished themselves and looked up to see a man wearing grey robes, carrying an odd looking staff, standing at the end of the altar. The villagers bowed before him and Daniel made his way over to Vala, feeling the tears stinging his eyes. Even though he knew the body belonged to Sallis, all he could see was Vala, dead. This woman with so much life in her had been taken from him so quickly and in such a brutal way, it just didn't seem real. He knelt down to cradle the charred body in his arms and the pungent odour of burnt flesh filled his nose, making him want to wretch but he refused to let her go.

Suddenly the shackles around her wrists popped open and he could feel warmth begin to radiate from her. He was shocked as he watched her come back to life and nearly sighed in relief as she took her first breath. Looking down into her face, he still saw Vala instead of Sallis and he cupped her chin.

"Daniel?" she asked tentatively.

"You okay?"

"I've got tingles all over. And don't flatter yourself, I'm pretty sure it's not you."

Daniel didn't know whether to laugh or cry as he held her. He was just so happy to hear her voice, he didn't want to analyse his feelings at the moment. For now, holding her was enough. He turned to the strange man behind him and gave a heartfelt thank you.

"Thank the Ori." he said. "You will come with me."

He watched as the man walked away then turned to Vala again. "I think he wants us to follow him. Can you walk?"

"If it means getting away form here." she said and he could see the tears in her eyes. He helped her up and let her lean on him as they followed the stranger out of the village. He barely registered the people calling out "Hallowed are the Ori" as they left. His entire focus was on Vala and how close he'd come to losing her.


	6. Chapter 5: Origin

Thanks to the **Brat** for the wicked cover art. Awesome, as always! You'll be able to see the full pic once I get around to posting this story over on AO3.

* * *

**Chapter 5: Origin**

Vala leant on Daniel as they followed the man in the strange grey robes until they reached a ring platform. "I think I'm all right now, Daniel."

"You sure?" he asked, looking uncertain and not letting go.

"Yes." she said even though she wanted to continue leaning on him. But that would be a sign of weakness and Vala Mal Doran was not weak. She could still feel the heat of the flames on her skin but pushed away the memory and resigned it to the deep recesses of her mind where she kept her memories of her father's abandonment, her mother's death and anything regarding Qetesh. She'd grown used to hiding from these things. It was the only way she knew to survive. Thankfully her thoughts were pulled back to the present as the rings activated and she found herself standing on water facing a beautiful city.

"Where are we?" Daniel asked.

"The Plains of Celestis." the man told them.

"And that?" she asked, pointing toward the city.

"City of the Gods." was the answer.

Vala looked to Daniel who was wearing a worried expression she was certain mirrored her own. The man started moving toward the city and she and Daniel followed. She listened carefully as Daniel asked who the man was, discovering that he was known as a Prior but wouldn't give any other information. When they reached the city, they entered a building and were led down corridors that made Goa'uld temples look drab. They followed the Prior into a room with even more ornate décor and before they could do anything, he left, the door closing automatically behind him. They were trapped.

"Now what?" she asked, turning back to Daniel.

"Now we wait, I guess."

"You know how bad I am at waiting." She started pacing the confines of the room, searching for a way out.

"I don't think we have much choice." She could hear him roaming about as well before he suddenly stopped. "Hey, this look familiar?"

She turned to see what had caught his attention and noticed a large book sitting on the table. It looked like an over-sized version of the tomes the villagers had been carrying at prostration. _The Book of Origin_, Daniel had called it. Oh great, just what she needed. As if six hours of that wasn't enough. She was going to dismiss it but Daniel picked it up and started reading it, settling into one of the chairs at the table. Vala sighed and shook her head but decided not to argue. At least he wasn't reading it at her and there might be a slight chance he'd find something in there to get them out of this.

Twenty minutes later, he was still reading so she lay down on the table in exhaustion. She finally grew tired of the silence and decided it was time to get some answers. She asked him what it said and he explained that it was full of fables so she asked him to tell her one as she sat up, stretching. Resurrecting really took a lot out of a person, she thought. He gave her an odd look but went on with his explanation.

"Well, they all seem to teach meditation on one's worth and significance, the path of righteousness towards a state of higher being."

As Daniel droned on, she took an apple from the bowl on the table, biting into it before offering some to Daniel. He looked at her with alarm for some reason. "What? I'm starving." she told him with a shrug and went on eating.

"The central icon of the religion seems to be fire."

"I don't need a book to tell me that." She tried not to shudder at the memory.

He went on to talk about how fire was associated with demonic imagery on Earth and speculated that the Ancients had something to do with that. She grew bored again and flipped to the end of the tome, telling him to let her know how it ended. Suddenly they heard a loud thud outside the door and she jumped off the table, hiding the apple back in the bowl. The Prior walked slowly into the room and told them that the village of Ver Ager had been corrupted.

"We didn't do it." she told him around the food in her mouth. "I promise."

Daniel started in with his "we are not from this galaxy" story again, even going so far as to mention the Alterans by name, but it did not seem to have any effect on the Prior. She tried calling them the Ancients but still got no response. Daniel tried to explain that they were explorers but was interrupted. The Prior wanted them to turn over anyone else who did not believe in the Ori.

"Devotion is rewarded." he told them. "Those who stray must be guided back to the path."

"Seems to me those who stray get burnt to death." she pointed out.

"The Ori gave all men and women free will."

"If the Ori are so powerful," Vala said as she circled the Prior with a sceptical look. "Why do they need us to tell them who believes in them and who doesn't?"

"The Ori need nothing from us."

"It is we who must seek the truth of the universe in order to achieve enlightenment." Daniel said with a smile. She turned her suspicious look on him but he merely shrugged. "Been down this road before." was all he said.

Before Vala could continue with her argument, the Prior started reciting what she assumed were stories in _The Book of Origin_. Sighing, she took a seat and prepared herself for a long day. Hopefully it wouldn't be a long sermon.

Two hours later, though, the man was still going and she was afraid she was about to snap. She told Daniel and thankfully he interrupted, letting him know that he was not going to convert them. Of course, the Prior did not listen and finally Daniel asked, if a bit sarcastically, if they could speak with the Ori. She was shocked when he answered in the affirmative only to have her hopes dashed when she realised he spoke of prayer.

"Okay look," she finally said, fed up. "You can torture us all you want with your rhetoric, but we're not going to crack-Well, I might-But we're not going to tell you anything because we don't _know_ anything. Am I right?" she asked, turning to Daniel.

He ignored her, asking the Prior if they could speak to someone called the Doci and he actually acquiesced, telling them to follow him.

"Could you not have asked that an hour ago?" she asked in frustration. "We've been listening to him drone on and on..."

"Not you." the Prior said and she stopped as the door started closing on her.

"What? Not who? Not me? But I..." The door closed in her face and she sighed. "I-I'll wait here." Like she even had a choice. Free will, yeah right.

Vala turned away from the door and started pacing the room again and, large as it was, she still felt trapped. She was usually so careful when conducting business. How had she gotten herself into this mess? Daniel. It had to be Daniel. Never before had she screwed up a job and now, because of him, she'd done it twice. What was it about him that made her want to break he own rules? She found herself worrying over him and, try as she might, she couldn't dispel the feeling. She'd grown up in the world of conning and stealing, living by the rules of the game her whole life, the most important being to never allow anyone close enough to hurt you. What made Daniel different than any other mark? She'd never worried so much about one person before and she wasn't sure she liked the feeling. This was a liability she did not need and it's why she preferred to work alone. In fact, it was why she preferred to _exist_ alone. Damn that old woman for giving her hope. She'd gone through her entire life without it...Well, there had been that one time with her fiancé...But she'd been young. She'd learnt her lesson quickly once she'd been taken by Qetesh. Aerden had turned his back on her the moment she'd been chosen as host. He hadn't even fought for her. When she'd been separated he'd acted as if he didn't even know who she was. How could a man who pledged to love her forever turn his back so coldly? Vala shook away those thoughts and sat at the table. It didn't matter now anyway. It was a long time ago and she'd moved past the pain and betrayal. She didn't understand why she was reliving it now but she knew she had to focus on something else. Like getting back to her own galaxy, for starters. So she focussed all of her energies on finding a solution to their problem. Maybe by the time Daniel got back, she'd be able to gloat about having figured it all out without his assistance.

()()()()

It seemed like hours later when Daniel finally came back but she was no closer to solving their predicament than before. And, from the look on his face, it may have just gotten worse.

"What's going on?" she asked as he joined her position in the back of the room.

"This is bad." he told her.

"Worse than being burnt to death?" In her estimation, there wasn't much that topped that. Then he started telling her that the Ori believed all humans should worship them and if they didn't, they'd be destroyed. Yep, that was definitely worse. Apparently the Ancients had been shielding them from the Ori and Vala couldn't help feeling thankful for that small mercy. Daniel went on to tell her the Ori thought the Ancients were evil because they hadn't shared the secrets of the universe with their galaxy and Vala had to argue a bit. She really hated secrets, unless they were hers, that is.

"See, the problem is the Ori now know our galaxy's in habited by humans because of us!" he told her angrily.

"I refuse to accept the blame for that." she told him, affronted. "Curiosity is part of human nature." When all he did was roll his eyes at her she asked why the Ancients didn't stop them from coming here.

"Free will." he said, bursting her bubble a little.

"Right." she said and paused before another idea popped into her head. "If they have been protecting us, there's no reason to believe they won't continue." She knew it was a long shot but she was grasping at straws here. Once again, though, Daniel burst that bubble by telling her the Ancients wouldn't interfere with the lower planes and, since the Priors were still human, they couldn't do anything about it.

"What are we going to do?" she asked when she heard the despair in his voice, matching it with her own.

"I don't know. I'm starting to think that sending the Priors is just the beginning. We could be talking crusade here. We need to warn Earth."

Warning Earth sounded good to her but she had a more pressing worry she needed to voice. "We need to get out of these people."

Before Daniel could respond, though, the Prior returned, telling them to follow him.

"Where are we going?" Daniel asked.

"You are to be sent back to Ver Ager." the Prior said, already walking away. "It is the will of the Ori."

Vala gave Daniel a nervous look but followed without another word. He was right. This was bad.

()()()()

After arriving back in the village, they came to the conclusion that they'd been sent back in order to weed out any heretics for the Ori. Knowing first hand just what these people did to unbelievers, she worried for Fannis and anyone else within the cause. She and Daniel knew they had to find the terminal that went with the stones but they were aware that contacting Fannis would be like hastening his death so they came up with a plan to search the village for artefacts. Okay, so it wasn't a good plan, but it was all they had at the moment. They waited for nightfall and were readying to commence their search when a knock sounded at the door. Vala went to the window and looked out but all she saw was a cloaked figure. Shrugging at Daniel, she watched as he prepared to take out whomever it was and opened the door. She was almost relieved to see Fannis walk in but horror filled her when she saw Daniel lift a large vase, ready to hit him. She stopped him just in time and he seemed annoyed by the visitor. Not that she could blame him, given the repercussions of heresy in this galaxy.

"Fannis!" Daniel said in anger. "You shouldn't have come. They're using us to get to you."

"So I suspected." he told them. "Either that, or you have truly come to see the power of the Ori."

"Not bloody likely." Vala pitched in quietly.

"You have to leave." Daniel pleaded with him.

"If I can help you speak the reality of our existence to your people," Fannis said, clapping his hand to Daniel's shoulder. "Maybe one day in turn, you will spread that word back here."

Vala watched as Daniel considered this and, when he nodded his acquiescence, she went to retrieve the stones. She listened as Daniel argued with Fannis to simply tell them where the other artefacts were but he refused, telling them that he was aware that one day he may have to sacrifice his life for the cause. He started toward the door and she shared a helpless look with Daniel. Fannis really was a sweet man. Naive, yes, but sweet. Donning her hood, she followed the men out the door and through the streets of Ver Ager until they reached an alleyway that led to an underground room. Inside was a crate and, when they opened it, there lay a terminal just like the one they'd found on Earth. Vala grinned at Daniel as they placed their stoned inside. After a few seconds she found herself looking up at the ceiling of the SGC's infirmary. Vala kept quiet for once as Daniel spoke quickly of what they'd discovered then suddenly they were pulled away again and found themselves back in the Ori galaxy. It only took her a moment to realise what had happened as she watched Fannis struggle to breath. The Prior was walking slowly toward them and suddenly Daniel was hurled across the room. She listened in dread as the Prior spoke of divine judgement. He left and group of villagers barged in, grabbing her and Daniel, dragging them away. She fought hard as she realised where they were taking them, even going so far as to claim she'd seen the light, but it was no use. She was going to be burnt to death again and this time there were no ascended beings to bring her back.

She and Daniel were chained to the altar, back to back, and she took morbid comfort in having him there this time. She could feel the tears in her eyes again but refused to let them fall. She'd be damned if she'd allow these people to see her weak. She watched aghast as the Prior lit the flame without even touching the bucket and felt the heat of the fire coming toward her. As it came closer, she couldn't help reliving the excruciating pain she'd experienced the first time. She knew that this time would be just as bad, no matter the fore-knowledge, and readied herself as much as possible. She could just feel the flames beginning to touch her dress when she felt herself being pulled away. She opened her eyes and shot upwards, only to discover that she was back on Earth. She looked over toward Daniel and felt an overwhelming sense of relief to see him awake as well. She reached for her neck knowing the locket wasn't there but needing the assurance of its promise, if only a reminder of who she was and that she was finally safe again. She took a few deep breaths then fell back on the bed in exhaustion as the doctors and nurses started poking and prodding her. She was alive, Daniel was alive. At the moment, that was all that mattered.

()()()()

It's been a couple of days since Vala and Daniel awoke from their time in the Ori galaxy and she was still reeling from the experience. They'd been called to meet with General Landry in the briefing room. She'd taken a seat without a word, curling herself into a protective ball and listening as carefully as she could to the conversation, but her thoughts kept straying. She'd been put through a lot in her lifetime but this...this was different. She'd been able to push the memory of the fire on her skin back to the recesses of her mind again but there was one thing she couldn't quite shake. Because of her, a great evil had been released. The things she'd done as Qetesh hadn't really been her fault, she'd had no control over it. But this time she'd opened the door willingly and she knew a lot of innocent people were going to die as a result. Three already had. As she thought of Fannis, Harrid and Sallis, she tightened her grip on herself a little. There had been no need for them to die, they'd been innocent bystanders. No matter what Fannis told them, he couldn't possibly have wanted to die for his cause. At least, not in the way he had. She shook away that memory and filed it away with the fire as she once again turned her attention to what was being discussed.

"So you think we should expect more of these Priors to show up?" Landry asked.

"I would be surprised it they didn't." Daniel told him honestly.

"How?" Mitchell asked, leaning forward. "We know one came through the Stargate, but if their galaxy is so far away-"

"I suspect the Ori have the power to make a lot of things happen." she interrupted quietly. There was no sarcasm to her voice, just raw honesty. After what they'd done to her, there was nothing that could surprise her.

"Still, for the Prior, I think we can assume it's a one-way trip." Daniel put in.

"Don't think they have a problem with self-sacrifice." Mitchell said sagely and Vala couldn't help but agree.

"You think the Ancients here in our galaxy will continue to stop the Ori form using their power to attack directly?"

"I hope so." Daniel said but he did not sound very confident about it and she couldn't say she blamed him.

"So how do we fight these guys?" Mitchell wanted to know. "And I mean the message as much as the men. A lot of folks out there are going to buy what these guys are selling."

"Hopefully, now many have been educated to the way of false gods." Teal'c said and Vala tried not to snort derisively.

"Yes, but we are not talking about humans with snakes in their heads with a slightly better understanding of technology." And she should know.

"See, their power isn't false." Daniel agreed with her. "The Priors are going to offer to people what will seem like proof of God."

"Proof of powerful beings is not proof of God." Landry said.

"I'm not saying it is."

"Look." Mitchell broke in. "Just because we know there are some beings on a higher plane of existence than ourselves does not mean there's not an order of being higher than them. At least I reckon that's what my Grandma'd say."

"And the universe is supposedly infinite." she said with a smile to Daniel, hoping to match a little of Mitchell's levity. Goodness knew they could use some right now.

"Which in my book makes it impossible to know everything." Landry agreed. "I mean, somewhere in there, you gotta fill in the blanks with a little faith." He smiled at Mitchell before continuing. "I had a grandma, too."

"So, business as usual, sir?" Mitchell asked as the general rose and he followed.

"Let 'em bring it. We'll use our strengths against their weaknesses. That's a pretty good strategy for any kind of business you're in." He said it with such conviction that Vala actually wanted to believe him. Then he turned and spoke to her and Daniel. "I'm glad you two are okay."

Okay? she thought with a slight shake of her head. She knew it was going to be a long time before she was okay, if ever. He'd spoken of faith but she wasn't sure she had any left, especially after the last few days. She'd come to this planet with the hope of finding her true love but, just like everything else in her life, that seemed an impossibility. She told herself she no longer cared about destiny and love, that it didn't matter. She'd already made up her mind to leave the next day. She knew it was running away but it was what she did best. She was going to escape before she got in too deep.


	7. Chapter 6: The Ties That Bind

**Chapter 6: The Ties That Bind**

As Vala made her way up the ramp to the Stargate, She couldn't resist turning back one last time. Daniel was watching her with barely suppressed glee and she nearly laughed at the sight. If only...She stopped that thought right there. She had no room in her life for such nonsense. She would miss him but, with a final smile, she stepped through the event horizon, not allowing herself to dwell on what could have been. Exiting through the other side, she watched as the wormhole disappeared almost immediately, sighed and walked away. After a few moments she came to a cosy little commerce town called Cherdan. She knew this town well and, surprisingly, she had no enemies here. Well, she amended as she walked past a stall with a glaring vendor, not many. She merely grinned and made her way to a tidy little house and, putting on her best charm smile, knocked on the door.

"Failin!" Vala exclaimed as the heavy door swung open to reveal a disgruntled woman with light brown hair and piercing green eyes. Those eyes bore into Vala which only made her grin wider. "How long has it been?"

"Vala Mal Doran, you have quite the nerve showing up here. You know exactly how long it's been. Four months. Four months since you came here, telling me you needed a place to rest. Ha! A place to hide is more like it."

"Don't be like that, Fai. I had no idea those boys were right on my tail. You know I wouldn't have led them to you intentionally."

"Huh!" Failin grunted. "I'm sure you had no idea. That's why two representatives of the Lucian Alliance showed up on my stoop the day after you left. I had to replace three windows and a door!"

"Well, just think of the damage you would have faced had I been here." When Failin only grunted again, Vala changed the subject. "I need a place to stay for a few days."

Failin's eyes widened in disbelief then immediately scrunched into a scowl. "Who are you running from this time, girl?"

"No one, I swear." Unless you count destiny, she thought morbidly. Failin still looked suspicious so Vala tried a different tactic. Honesty had worked with Daniel, a little at least, it might just prove useful now. "Seriously, Fai. I've had a really...strange couple of days. I just need to rest and figure out what to do next."

Fai stared at her for a few more moments before sighing and throwing open the door. "All right, but in exchange I want you to tell me exactly what you've been up to. Starting with how you managed to anger the Alliance."

With a wink and a grin, Vala moved through the house and straight to the kitchen. She grabbed a piece of fruit from a bowl on the counter and sat down at the table, ready to weave her tale. For the next half hour Failin stared, completely enthralled. Vala told her of her plot to steal the Tau'ri ship and her first meeting with Daniel, skimming over the part where he outsmarted her and got the upper hand. She shared with her part of why she went to Earth, not bothering to mention the locket. She even gave a run-down of her time in the Ori galaxy, leaving out the whole being burnt to death bit. That was something she didn't want to relive just now, or ever for that matter. Just as she was getting to the part where she awoke in the infirmary, she felt a familiar sensation wash over here. She jumped up quickly and caught the table as the dizziness came. No, she couldn't allow it to happen, not yet. She had to get back to the ring. Back to Earth.

"What's wrong, girl?" Failin asked, worried. "Do you need to lie down?"

"No! No, I just...I need to get back to the ring. Fast!" Vala stumbled toward the door and Failin caught her under the arms, leading her outside. Just stay awake a few more minutes, she told herself. Just long enough to dial Earth. Through sheer willpower Vala managed to make it to the 'gate but was unable to dial. She fell to the ground and pulled out a piece of paper with the Tau'ri address on it. "Fai, dial this and send me through."

With that, Vala let the darkness take her.

()()()()

Vala awoke to the now familiar sounds of the SGC infirmary. She wasn't entirely sure how she'd gotten there but thanked the gods that Failin had gotten her through the Chappa'ai in time. Glancing around the room, she discovered that she was somewhat curtained off from the rest of the room. Thankful for the modicum of privacy, she lay her head back down with a sigh. What had gone wrong? The effect of the bracelets was supposed to wear off after removal but that seemed to be the only reasonable explanation. Why couldn't she seem to catch a break here? Every time she thought she was free of Daniel, something happened to pull her back in and it was beginning to annoy her. Ever since being freed from Qetesh, she'd striven for control over every aspect of her life. Now she felt like it was being taken away from her. She didn't like it at all but she was pragmatic enough to know she had no choice but to go along until they figured out just what was going on. There was still time to escape. She just had to make sure she kept herself at a safe distance from these Tau'ri. They seemed to have an innate ability to see beyond masks. But she was a pro at hiding her real self. When it came time to battle, she was certain she'd win.

Suddenly she heard someone groan from the other side of the curtain.

"Good morning, sunshine." she heard a voice say. It sounded like Colonel Mitchell.

"Gaaahhh." came the groan again and she nearly laughed at the comical sound.

"How are you feeling?" Mitchell asked.

"Better. What happened?" Daniel asked, sounding suspicious.

"We aren't exactly sure. But Dr. Lam here thinks it may have something to do with those alien cuffs."

"Why does one assume that?"

"Well," came Lam's voice. "You were completely unresponsive when we brought you in, but improved when _she_ came back."

That's my cue, Vala thought. May as well have some fun with this. She sat up and plastered on her biggest grin. "Miss me?"

Daniel only sighed and again Vala had to control her laughter. Oh yes, this could be fun.

()()()()

A few hours later she wasn't thinking it was such fun any more. She and Daniel had been ushered into Dr. Lee's lab where they'd been hooked up to various silly machines. She'd already been feeling put out because they'd forced her to give up her leathers in exchange for a less than flattering blue ensemble. Now she was being forced to listen to Daniel and Bill guess at what might have happened and trying to figure a way out of this. They apparently wanted her gone as soon as possible and she would be more than happy to oblige. It didn't look like that was going to happen, though, as Bill let go another wild theory. She'd finally had enough and tore the strange cables from her head.

"This is a waste of time." she said as she tried to keep Bill from reattaching the cable.

"Do me a favour." Daniel grumbled. "Shut up."

"It's not like I wanted this to happen." she defended herself. "Anyway, I'm being realistic. He has no idea what he's doing."

"I'm standing right here." Bill complained, sounding annoyed, but she barely registered his presence.

"He can do all the tests he wants." she said to Daniel then turned to glare at Bill. "It's not going to get us anywhere."

"Look, I know we're scraping the bottom of the barrel here, but it's not like we have a lot of choice, unless you happen to know someone who understands this technology."

Vala sighed heavily at the thought of Arlos and immediately regretted the action as Daniel zeroed right in.

"You know someone?" he asked hopefully. "Someone who can help us?"

"No..." she stalled off as Daniel stood. "And yes."

Bill tried to argue as Daniel tore off his own cables and came to stand directly in front of her. "Who?" he asked.

"A scientist who was studying the bracelets at one point." she confessed reluctantly.

"Well, let's go see him." he said and pulled her up.

"No! Out of the question." The last thing she wanted was to go see Arlos and relive that part of her past. But Daniel refused to give up and when she denied him an explanation for her reticence, he got even angrier.

"He's the guy you stole the bracelets from, right?"

"How dare you assume that I acquired these bracelets through anything but honest means." she said in her most affronted tone. "I may have a less than perfect reputation-"

"You told me you stole them!"

"Did I?" Damn, why had she let that slip? "Oh. Anyway, he won't help us."

"Correction. He won't help _you_." Daniel said with a smug smirk.

"Fine!" she acquiesced angrily then glanced down at their apparel. "But if we're going, we'll need a change of clothes."

"Fine." Daniel said, walking out the door and she followed behind. Oh yeah, this was _real_ fun.

()()()()

Many hours, and quite a few side-trips later, Vala was sitting in the briefing room of the SGC listening to the boys explain what had happened. She was trying not to think of the disgusted look on Daniel's face as he was introduced to each man she'd used. He'd known of her past but to actually see it...Well, any hope she'd still had for the two of them was now gone. How could she expect him to care for her when she didn't particularly like herself at the moment? Her time with Arlos was part of her life she'd hoped to never revisit. It had only been a few years after her separation from Qetesh and she'd done some...revolting things in order to survive. But if she were being entirely honest with herself, something she hated, she'd admit that she'd taken a lot of those chances hoping she wouldn't survive. The memories of her time as a Goa'uld were not so easily ignored back then and she'd wanted to escape, no matter what the cost. It was why she'd been so reluctant to tell Daniel about Arlos. He reminded her of a time she'd rather forget. But now the memories were back and she was going to have to work hard to set them aside again. At the moment, though, she did what she was best at. She pushed away the memories and focused on the here and now. She turned her attention to General Landry as he tried to sum up what the boys had told him.

"So let me get this straight. You need to get this ship, to get the power coil, to get the necklace, to get this guy to tell you how to undo whatever is keeping you two connected?"

She smiled at Daniel as he nodded and Mitchell let the general know he was right.

"Unfortunately, that ship is now in the hands of the Lucian Alliance." she told him.

"The who?" Landry asked. 

She wasn't at all surprised that these people knew nothing of the Alliance so she patiently explained who they were and what they did.

"Can we contact them?" Landry wanted to know.

"They won't deal with someone they don't know."

"I assume they know you."

"Well...yes, but our last encounter didn't exactly go as planned."

"Oh, lemme guess." Mitchell put in. "You screwed them and now they wanna kill you."

"Actually, it was Daniel who messed up the deal." she defended herself.

"You tried to sell them a stolen ship." 

"You're the one that told them they couldn't have it. The point is, if they see either of us again they will kill us."

"Can we take the ship by force?" Mitchell asked.

Vala tried not to snort at that. She just couldn't get over their naivete. "You'd have to go up against a sizeable armada."

"If the alternative is staying linked to you, I'm willing to take that risk." Daniel said petulantly and she spared him a dirty look.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Jackson but I can't allow it. Dr. Lee's continuing his research, hopefully he'll be able to come up with something on his own. In the meantime, you're just going to have to learn to live with each other. And by the way, in three days, you're coming to Washington."

"I am?" she asked just as Daniel voiced the same question. She'd read about this country's capital and couldn't believe she was going to be allowed to go there even as Landry explained the reasoning behind the trip. If she had to suffer through some boring meeting, it would be worth it to see some more of this planet. She wanted to understand these people. She wanted to understand Daniel. Especially if she was going to be stuck here for an extended period of time. Maybe she could even convince Daniel that she wasn't so bad. With that thought in mind, she looked up to Landry with her most serious expression. "We will do our best." She heard Daniel sigh but chose to ignore him. She was finally being given the chance to do something important and she wasn't going to let him ruin that for her.

()()()()

Two days later, Vala was bored out of her mind again. She'd tried to control the boredom, she really had, but she'd always hated being trapped. Her attempts at flirting with Daniel to test his reaction to her had all fallen flat, the worst of which had occurred that afternoon. How was she to know she'd sit right on his glasses? He'd walked away from her then and she hadn't seen him since. Obviously he was close by because she was still alive, but he hadn't revealed himself. She truly did not understand this man. She'd thrown herself at him countless times yet he refused to yield. She was becoming discouraged. If she could just get him in bed, maybe she could get this...this itch to go away. Sex came easily to her. She _had_ been a sex goddess, after all. She just needed him to take what she was offering.

And that's why she was in his quarters at the moment, waiting for him to show up. She'd made sure to put on her most sexy under clothes, the ones she'd acquired via his credit card. Of course, he didn't know about his...contribution to he wardrobe yet, but it didn't matter. How else was she supposed to dress herself in pretty things while on Earth? How else was she to showcase her best assets? Her thoughts were suddenly put aside when the door finally opened and Daniel walked in. She tried not to grin as he turned on the light.

"Hello." she said.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He looked utterly confused and Vala had to keep herself from laughing.

"Isn't this my room?" she asked, all innocence.

"No." He gestured behind him. "Your room is across the hall with the guard in front of it." 

Again she had to control her mirth at his befuddlement as he glanced from her to the door and back again. "Oh yes, they do all rather look alike, don't they? Anyhow, since I'm here, shall we make the best of it?" She threw back the covers and placed her hands behind her head, knowing exactly what kind of picture she made in the red top and panties.

"No, we shalln't." he said emphatically.

This was not working so she got up on her hands and knees and faced him with a pout. "Come on, Daniel. We're both stuck on this base and there's nothing else to do."

"Yes there is! There's-there's-there's sleeping, there's working, there's-there's finding a way out of this mess!"

"What if we can't?" she asked, really wanting to hear his answer. She tried not to let on just how much the idea worried her. "We might have to spend the rest of out lives together."

"No!" Did he have to look so horrified at that? "Don't even go there."

"There's literally a bond between us. Some people might even find that romantic."

"I'm not one of those people."

Of course he wasn't, Vala thought despairingly. Why, for once in her life, couldn't she get something the easy way? Trying not to sigh, she turned to sit on the edge of the bed.

"Am I really so repulsive?" She heard the slight edge of uncertainty in her voice and hoped Daniel hadn't picked up on it.

"No! Uh..." He seemed to take a moment to consider it, then, "No!" He joined her on the bed, albeit on the edge, facing away from her. "No you're not...repulsive, you're just...uh...It's just that I know what you're doing with this whole sexual thing. It's a defence mechanism."

"Really?" She forced herself to hide the hurt his statement caused, but it wasn't easy.

"Yeah," he replied, matter-of-fact. "You live a solitary existence, you move from place to place, you never form any lasting relationships, you use sex as a weapon to prevent yourself from forming any real emotional bonds."

She watched as he ticked off each item on his fingers and shrugged, knowing it should have infuriated her but it only proved to frighten her. She didn't want him to know just how close to the mark he was so she fell back on sarcasm.

"Textbook case." She berated herself for not being able to hide the hurt this time but moved on, hoping he hadn't noticed. "Never realised I was so transparent." She stood to leave when she heard him sigh her name. Not pausing for more than a second, she angrily threw on her bathrobe. Anger was a much safer emotion and she clung to it. "No really it's-it's fine, Daniel. You're right. I can see why you wouldn't want to become involved with someone so pathetic." She paused for a breath before continuing. "I wasn't always like this, you should know. There was someone once. In fact, I was engaged. Then I was taken as a host and, even though the Tok'ra eventually freed me, the damage was already done. And once you've been spat on, and stoned by the people of your own village...Well, you try forming lasting relationships."

Damn, where had that come from? She hadn't meant to reveal any of it. She had never told _anyone_ about it and here she was, telling her whole life story to a man who found her so pitiful. She had to get a grip on herself. She had to get out of here. Pulling on her slippers clumsily, she tried to escape when his voice stopped her.

"Vala, wait. Just wait. Please. Stop." His voice was so plaintive, she couldn't quite force herself to leave. "All right, I'm sorry. Okay? I'm sorry. I just...Sometimes I forget what you've been through." Vala felt a faint hope bubble in her chest. Maybe... "If you've actually been through any of that. Are you messing with me?"

And with that, the bubble burst. It was the perfect out and Vala decided to take advantage of it. "Is it working?"

"Get out. Go. Get out." She moved to the door but glanced back, ready to tell him the truth, but he interrupted. "Go." he said once more so she left and went back to her own quarters, not even bothering to smirk at the confused guard. Who was she kidding? As Daniel had so kindly pointed out, she wasn't made for lasting relationships. She could feel herself being dragged in too deep and it scared her. The sooner she got away from him, the better.

()()()()

Vala glanced warily in Daniel's direction where he walked silently beside her through the woods on the planet where they were to meet up with Tenat and Jup. He hadn't said more than a few words to her since their little trip to Washington and that worried her. She really didn't understand why he was so angry with her. After all, she'd only been trying to help. All she'd done was state the obvious. How was she to know that Tau'ri men were so tetchy when it came to their manhood? And, seriously, did they really believe that just because most of the Goa'uld were gone they were safe? Just how naïve were these people? Another reason to get the bracelet's affect taken care of. She'd stand a far better chance of surviving on her own, anyway. That's why she'd come up with this plan to meet with Tenat and Jup. The faster they got this done, the faster she could be on her way. And on that note...

"Just a word of warning." she said as she kept her focus on their surroundings, ready for any surprises. "Tenat and Jup are notoriously unscrupulous traders. They're crafty, devious, and although stupid, under no circumstances are they to be trusted."

"In other words they're going to try to screw us before we screw them." Mitchell put in.

She smiled, thinking he wasn't as naïve as she'd assumed. "It should be all right as long as you keep your guard up, and we keep focus on what needs to be done. Close the deal, take the ship, and make sure they don't kill me. Certainly not in that order."

"I still think we need some more boots on the ground, just to be safe."

"Tenat will most certainly run a surface scan of the planet. Additional life signs or any ships in orbit will only raise suspicion and jeopardise everything."

They fell into silence again as she and Daniel pulled ahead to walk side-by-side. She wished he'd say something to her, even if it was a snippy remark. Finally she tired of the silence and chose to end it herself. "This is a good plan. Very inspired."

"Yes, we have you to thank for that. Nothing motivates like complete and utter desperation."

"You say that now, but you will miss me when I'm gone." She couldn't help the smile that lit her face. At least he was talking to her again.

"No, I'm pretty sure I won't." he assured her. She merely shrugged. Time would tell.

They walked for a few more minutes before Mitchell stopped in a clearing. "All right, kids. We wait here. Teal'c, you got the cuffs?"

The large Jaffa pulled them out of his coat with a nod and moved over to her and Daniel. She grinned up at him as he placed them on her wrists and winked.

"I do so love it when a big, strong man ties me up." He merely lifted an eyebrow at her but she swore she saw a bit of humour sitting behind his eyes. Not as impassive as he'd like to everyone to believe, she thought storing that knowledge away for future use and continued to grin as he pushed her into a sitting position before moving onto Daniel. Once they were both secured, Teal'c moved into an alert position to await the appearance of Tenat and Jup. They didn't have long to wait as she spied the fools moving noisily through the forest, fully exposed should there be anyone waiting to attack. They certainly hadn't acquired brains in the time she'd been in hiding.

"Hey fellas." Mitchell said casually. "What's with all the hostility?"

"Vala," Tenat sneered at her. "How does it feel to know your sorry life is about to end?"

"I don't know." she answered glibly. "How did it feel telling the Alliance that you half-wits lost their naquadah?" She grinned as Tenat pointed his weapon at her and listened to Mitchell ramble on, wishing he'd get on with it so she could contribute her own part. Not to mention, free herself of these ridiculous handcuffs. Finally he seemed to wind down and Jup motioned for her and Daniel to stand and make their way to the ship. It was an absurdly short distance from the clearing and Vala snorted at their stupidity as Jup pushed them into an empty cargo area. She waited silently as Daniel asked Jup about the absence of the naquadah, biding her time. Once the trader left, she immediately removed her cuffs then went to work on Daniel's, making sure to get as close to him as possible. When free, he moved over to the control panel and started working on the next stage of their plan. Escape. He was taking too long, though, and she could feel her patience wearing thin so she moved to stand next to him.

"Daniel, why don't you let me do it?" It's not like she didn't have experience in this kind of thing.

"I can do it. Just uh, do me a favour. I need some help."

"Okay, what?" she asked, more that ready to be of assistance.

"Go to the panel by the rear exit."

She did as requested and waited for him to tell her what he needed.

"Stay there, shut up, and let me finish."

She was seriously tempted to hit him but decided against it. It wouldn't do for him to be unconscious as she'd likely need his help in taking out Jup. It seemed to take forever but he finally got the door open. When Jup came to see what had happened, she distracted him while Daniel stole his zat and used it on him. They smiled at each other and quickly dragged Jup to the platform before going to the piloting station so they could rescue Mitchell and Teal'c. Once they reached their destination, Vala ringed the boys up then flew off as quickly as possible. She didn't even bother to breath a sigh of relief as they broke orbit and with good reason as her sensors started lighting up.

"Well! That went better than I expected." Mitchell said as he leant on her seat.

"I'm picking up ships." she told him. "Lots of them."

"Correction." Mitchell said as he took in the fleet before them. "That went much _worse_ than I expected."

"Stand down and prepare to be boarded." came an all-too familiar voice over they radio. Vosh, she thought with a shudder and tried to put memories of the man out of her head.

"Shouldn't we be jumping into hyperspace or something." Mitchell asked.

"They will pursue." Teal'c informed him.

She only listened with one ear as she fiddled with the controls, trying to find what she was looking for.

"What are you doing?" Daniel asked.

"Caius said he customised this ship. Let's see if there is anything we can use." She smiled as she found what she needed and a fleet of ships appeared.

"What's happening?" Daniel asked, sounding worried.

"Multiple energy signatures of phantom vessels. They're confusing the Alliance ships."

"Fine!" Mitchell said urgently. "Let's go, let's go, let's go."

She did as requested, flying past the other fleet only to be trailed by two Al'Kesh.

"You got anything else in that bag of tricks?" Mitchell asked hopefully.

"I'll show you." she told him with a smirk and quickly turned the ship to face their pursuers, shutting down the power as she went.

"What are you doing?" Mitchell wanted to know.

"Vala?" Daniel asked when she remained silent.

"Wait for it..." she told him as she calculated the distance in her head. "Now."

The pulse wave went out, causing the other ships to lose power, and she brought their own power back on line before jetting into hyperspace. Maybe now Daniel would realise what an asset she was.

()()()()

They made their way around the galaxy, giving back what she'd stolen and finally made it back to Arlos with the necklace only to discover her couldn't reverse the link. She thought it fantastic but apparently Daniel did not. He refused to say a word to her as they gated back to the SGC. Once back on Earth, he left her and went straight to his quarters. Cold-shoulder Daniel was back and she had no choice but to live with it. She only hoped this link would wear off and soon because she didn't know how long she could put up with him ignoring her.


	8. Chapter 7: The Powers That Be

**Chapter 7: The Powers That Be**

Vala sat cross-legged on the bed in her quarters reading what she knew to be a classified file. She'd lifted it from an unsuspecting tech as he was going to drop it off in Landry's office. She was only vaguely scanning the contents, however, as she thought about what she would do once the effects of the bracelets wore off. Daniel hadn't spoken to her in days, not since they'd gotten back from their little jaunt across the galaxy. The fact was, she was kind of glad he chose to ignore her existence. It had been over a week since she'd tried to seduce him and she was still smarting from the rejection. But, more than that, she was astounded by how easily he was able to zero in on _why_ she did what she did. It frightened her to know he could read her so well. She'd always been the one in control, the one with ability to read someone and use it to her advantage. And that scared her, too. She was just waiting for Daniel to take his knowledge of her and exploit it for his own personal use. A small voice told her Daniel wasn't the type to manipulate others, but she'd spent her entire life around thieves and con artists so she expected the behaviour from everyone.

Fear. That was another thing she wasn't used to. Oh sure, she'd had her fair share of frightening experiences since she'd been freed from Qetesh, but she'd never allowed herself to dwell on the fear. There'd always been something else to concentrate on. Now, though, there was no enemy and her emotions threatened to overwhelm her. She needed something to do. Something to focus her energies on. With renewed vigour, she scanned the file again until she came across a planet she knew. These Tau'ri referred to it as P8X-412 but she knew it to be one of Qetesh's planets. She also recalled that these people had absolutely no idea about the downfall of the Goa'uld. For a fleeting moment she allowed her thoughts to drift to Azdak, her loyal servant. He was such a sweet boy, always willing to do his "god's" bidding. She wondered what he was up to.

No, she had to control those thoughts. Emotions were beginning to cloud her judgement again. It had to be this planet, these people, making her soft. For the first time since her mother died, she felt safe but she knew better than most that this couldn't last forever. She needed a backup plan for when it all came crashing down on her. Suddenly she remembered all of the treasure she had hidden in Qetesh's temple on the planet. Grinning at the thought, she closed the file and went to find Colonel Mitchell. It felt good to be in action again, to be doing something other than thinking. She'd much rather face down the Ori than the demons in her head. It never occurred to her that this was just another form of running away. To her it was a way of life. Her life.

()()()()

Sitting in Qetesh's throne, Vala watched as the boys left the temple. She'd figured Daniel would give her trouble over her deception, being the man of integrity she'd discovered he was. And Teal'c, well he's Jaffa and had every right to hold a grudge over the Goa'uld. But she'd had such hopes for Mitchell. Apparently he was much more virtuous than she'd given him credit for. Shaking her head in disappointment, she stood and made her way to the treasure room. If Daniel really was going to tell the villagers the truth about her, she didn't have much time. She had to gather as much of her loot as she could. Smiling, she took in the vast treasure trove and started pulling the chests to the throne room. Once she'd dragged all of the boxes out, she started cataloguing to make sure everything was there. One could never trust anyone too far, not even devout worshippers. That was a lesson she'd learnt early in life and it had only been strengthened in her time as Qetesh.

She was just finishing up her inventory when she heard footsteps behind her. She knew the boys had returned without looking up so she just kept working, She also knew Daniel was going to try to talk her out of her treasure but she refused to be swayed. She'd earned this and she was not about to give it up.

"This is why you wanted to come back to this planet?"

Ah, there it was, Vala thought. Daniel was going with the accusatory tone, one meant to make her feel guilty for her greed. Good, she could deal with that one. Guilt had no affect on her. She'd have to have a conscience first.

"All of this _is_ mine. I earned it." she told him. "And, as you said, we can't be one-hundred percent certain that they're going to obey me. So, if this planet does fall to the Prior..."

"Hello." Mitchell interrupted. "You stealing this planet's most valued treasures is the least of our concerns right now."

Vala turned to him with a grin. Maybe he wasn't as incorruptible as she'd thought. "I like your attitude. I was thinking of cutting you boys in at ten percent, and now I'm thinking twenty." she told him with a tweak of his nose.

"Despite your return," Teal'c put in. "Many of the villagers believe the Ori to be true gods and worthy of their loyalty."

"All the more reason why we should pack all of this up right now and get out of here." She moved to stand in front of the large Jaffa and sent a questioning look from him to Daniel. "Are you going to pitch in or what?"

"Others believe you will slay the Prior in a show of power upon his return tomorrow."

"Tomorrow. Hmm...Tomorrow's no good for me." She turned to walk away when Daniel started talking again.

"You need to tell these people the truth."

"I have a lot of needs, Daniel. But I assure you, that is not one of them."

"If you do not tell them the truth," Teal'c intoned. "We will."

Turning back to the Jaffa, Vala gave him an incredulous look. "Yes, and who do you think they're actually going to believe?"

"Look," Daniel said. "Commanding these people to obey you and not the Ori is not going to work. Especially once the Prior comes back."

"And we do _not_ want to get into a god-off." Mitchell said as he joined the others. "Especially since we know you're not even close."

"Forget what I said about the twenty percent." she said, spearing him with a dirty look. So much for being corruptible. Apparently they were not going to help her with the treasure, which meant she was on her own. Not a problem, though. She was all too used to depending on herself.

"He's right." Daniel argued. "We can't trade one lie for another lie!"

"All right." Vala stopped directly in front of Daniel and looked him straight in the eye. "What can we fight with, then? How can we stop _this_ Prior from corrupting _these_ people?"

"Okay. We have a limited window of opportunity here. If you expose yourself as a false god, if you tell these people how you fooled them and why, we might be able to make them sceptical about the Prior."

"Or it could push them into believing in the Ori as true gods even more."

"No, the only chance these people have, the only chance _any_ of us have against the Priors is to show them that we will not accept the Ori as gods. No matter what happens, we must reject them. True enlightenment must begin with the truth."

"Oh please, the truth is so overrated."

"Look," Daniel grabbed her by the shoulders, forcing her to look at him. She felt tingles travel up and down her spine but kept herself from shivering. As much as she fought it, she felt compelled to look into his deep blue eyes. The raw pleading look they held pulled her toward him as he spoke. "For once, just do the right thing here. You're going to feel so good about it afterwards. Trust me."

Trust him? She wasn't sure she could. She hadn't trusted anyone but herself in so long, she wasn't even certain she knew how any more. But the look in his eyes pulled at her heart, making her want to believe him. Without even realising what she was doing, she heard herself sigh and felt her head nod in acquiescence. Daniel gave her a gentle smile and she hoped her heart knew what it was doing.

()()()()

Trust him? Trust him! She couldn't believe she'd fallen for that. She knew better. She _knew_ that when a person told you to trust them, it was the time to trust them the least. Then he'd had the gall to say it again when they'd locked her in this bloody cell! She could feel his presence still just outside the bars but refused to acknowledge him as she sat on the bench with her back to him. She blamed those eyes. Those beautifully crystal clear blue eyes of his. They'd gotten her in this whole mess in the first place. If not for those blasted eyes, she'd never have made the trip to Earth, she wouldn't have used those damn bracelets, and she would definitely _not_ be sitting in a jail cell awaiting her execution. Damn Daniel Jackson and his gorgeous eyes!

She needed to find a way out of this, alive, so she could make him suffer.

()()()()

Vala sat in her cell, awaiting the decision of the villagers. After listening to Azdak's speech, she couldn't help but feel she deserved whatever punishment they handed out. She _had_ lied, she _had _stolen. But worse, she'd taken their trust and trampled over it without a care. She really was no better than the Goa'uld. Feeling a deep sense of disappointment in herself, she wondered where it had come from. She'd never allowed compassion for others to cloud her judgement before and the emotion confused her. When exactly had she started to feel sympathy for others? Glancing at the man seated opposite her on the other side of the bars, she had her answer. It was all Daniel's fault. He'd told her to tell the truth, made her see what she'd done was wrong. She didn't like this feeling at all and it made her wonder why he did it. Why he felt compassion for people he didn't even know. She decided to question him. Maybe then she'd understand.

"You need to work on your anti-Ori speech." she told him quietly. "That Prior almost had me believing. Well, not so much believing as willing to say I believe."

"I know." he said despondently. When he didn't say anything else, she continued.

"You _are_ asking people to stand up and put their lives on the line."

"I really believe it's the only way we're going to have to defend ourselves against them."

"We could try shooting them." She'd said it to get a laugh out of him and it worked, mostly. He let out a half-sigh/half-laugh and his mouth rose in a small smile so she pushed on. "You said that the Priors are human, right? A few well aimed shots might at least get their attention."

"Well, you study enough religions, you find that killing the missionaries doesn't combat the overall philosophy."

"Problem is that what they're offering sounds quite good." At his odd look, she continued. "Until you get to the whole prostrating and burning people alive bits."

"There's that, and I don't think any of us have read the real fine print yet."

"Meaning?"

"Well, I personally know without a doubt the Priors are bad."

"So creepy." she interrupted.

"And believe-or-die is an archaic moral standing." he continued as if she hadn't spoken. "Now, the Ori are wrong for what they're doing, but the part I haven't figured out yet, the part that's bothering me is _why_ they're doing it. I mean, why do they care if people worship them or not?"

Before she could respond, Azdak entered the room. She took a moment before slowly standing. She was prepared for whatever punishment they felt she deserved.

"We have decided to spare your life." He looked directly at her but didn't seem too pleased with the decision.

"Really?" she asked, more than a little surprised. "Thank you."

"Your punishment will be imprisonment for the rest of your life."

"What?" Okay, _that_ she hadn't been expecting. "A-Azdak, after everything we've been through...together..." She watched as he slowly made his way toward her.

"You made me rub your feet." Vala heard the embarrassment in his voice, but it was the anger in his eyes that made her want to slink away. Instead, she smacked Daniel when she heard him groan out what sounded suspiciously like an "ew".

"Weren't you justly rewarded? Anyway, the odd massage here and there hardly warrants life imprisonment."

"You lied, and abused the people of this planet."

"What about the Prior?" Daniel interrupted.

"Wait a minute, we're not done with me yet."

"Yes, we are." The finality in Azdak's voice scared her. When had he become so hard? He's been such a sweet, innocent boy before her return. Was this part of the consequences of her actions, turning him cynical and bitter? Vala felt the disappointment in herself surface again and could do nothing to stop it.

"The settlement is divided." he continued, looking at Daniel. "Many believe the Ori worthy of our devotion."

"And you?" Daniel questioned. Before Azdak could answer, though, a villager came running in.

"Vachna has fallen ill." he told them.

"That's the man the Prior healed." Daniel said, more a statement than a question.

"Yes." Azdak answered.

"Please hurry." the villager urged. "We fear he might be close to death."

"Wait, Azdak." Daniel stopped the man as he was leaving. "Umm...maybe we can help." Everyone in the room, Vala included, stared at Daniel in confusion. "Vala may be able to heal him. She just needs her healing device."

"We do not need her help." Azdak said vehemently and turned to leave again.

"Wait! Just...just let us help."

Vala nodded vigorously, looking Azdak straight in the eye. If she could do this one thing to help make up for the trouble she'd caused, she was more than willing. They stared at each other for a long moment before Azdak finally acquiesced.

"Fine." he said with a sigh and pulled out his keys to the cell. "But only for Vachna's sake."

Vala nodded again, this time more slowly, and gave a small smile. "Thank you."

They made their way to the compound, retrieving the device from a nearby tent, and found Vachna lying on a cot, writhing in pain. The villagers stared at her with scorn and suspicion but Vala kept her head high and moved to sit by Vachna. She was far too used to such looks for it to get to her...much. She moved the device over him but he pushed her away.

"I do not want _you_ near me."

"Take it easy." she told him, looking to Daniel for assistance.

"It's okay." he told Azdak. "She's not gonna hurt him."

He looked suspicious but nodded his assent and she moved the device over Vachna again. It started to glow and she could feel it working. "There." she said when she was through. "How do you feel?"

"What have you done to me?" he asked in awe.

"Hmm." Vala smirked a little. "Making people feel good is a natural talent of mine."

"Can you sit up?" Daniel asked Vachna, ignoring her statement.

"I do not understand." Vachna said as he rose, his voice filled with awe. "How did you do it?"

"Well, this..." Daniel said as he took the device from her. "Is a tool. Like a hammer or a shovel, just a lot more complicated. Just because you don't understand it at first, doesn't mean it's the magic of the gods."

Vala looked at Azdak and saw the confusion in his eyes. But as she stared, she also saw the first spark of understanding fill them and hoped their time here had been useful.

()()()()

Vala trailed alongside Daniel and Azdak, a soft smile gracing her features. She wasn't paying much attention to what was being said, too lost in her own thoughts to concentrate. She finally understood what Daniel meant when he said she'd feel good after helping someone. After healing Vachna, she'd felt a strange sense of pride, something she hadn't felt in too long. It was odd, doing something for someone without expecting anything in return. Okay, so maybe she hoped the villagers would look well upon her action and reduce her sentence. But surprisingly, especially to herself, she found that wasn't the biggest reason she'd done it. She'd _wanted_ to do it, to help the people she'd so cruelly deceived and abused. For the first time since she'd been taken by Qetesh, she 'd done the right thing and she felt happy about it. Turning back to the men, she smiled up at Azdak.

"In exchange for saving Vachna's life, I have decided to reopen the issue of your imprisonment." he told her.

"Thank you." Vala said, surprisingly genuine. "I have to admit, it did make me feel rather good."

"I'm sure you thought there might be a reward." Daniel said sardonically.

"That's not why I did it." Vala defended herself. At his smirk, she realised just how little he trusted her. She wanted to shrug it off as no big deal, but something in her wouldn't allow her to. She wanted Daniel's trust and that worried her. She'd never wanted anyone's trust, never even thought to believe in loyalty and honour before. Just what was Daniel Jackson doing to her?

"Speaking of rewards," Azdak continued, disrupting her thoughts. "The entirety of your property will be kept here as payment for your crimes."

"Now hang on a minute..." Vala trailed off as Azdak stumbled. She caught him and, with Daniel's help, pushed him back into an upright position.

"You all right?" Daniel asked.

"Yes." Azdak answered. "It's just been a very long day."

Before either Vala or Daniel could respond, an aide came running up to them.

"Azdak, you must come quickly."

"What is it?" he asked.

"Many have fallen ill."

Azdak made to follow the aide but only went a few steps before collapsing. Vala and Daniel rushed to his side. When she looked up at Colonel Mitchell and saw the grim set of his jaw, she knew that this was going to get ugly.

()()()()

Leaning over Azdak with the healing device, Vala sighed in relief as he came to.

"Thank you." he said in a voice filled with gratitude. "You are truly blessed."

"Oh, I don't know about that." she told him, trying to hide the guilt she felt. "I'm just doing the best I can." She looked toward Daniel where he stood over another sick villager and felt her guilt deepen. It was her fault these people were dying. Hopefully she could rectify some of her crimes by helping them now.

"How many have fallen ill?" She turned back to Azdak at the question, trying to put a smile on her face but failing miserably.

"I've lost count, but it's a lot." Too many, she thought. Daniel kneeling beside her saved her from taking that thought too far.

"Whatever this is, it's spreading like wildfire." he told her. "Come on, I'm gonna need you over here."

Vala felt despair setting in as she looked toward Azdak. The worry in his eyes made her sick so she fell back on levity. "We'll talk about my treasure later." When she saw the slight quirk of his lips, she knew she'd succeeded in lightening the mood, if only for the moment. As she stood to follow Daniel, she vowed that she was not going to fail these people. Not the villagers. Not Azdak. And especially not Daniel. She'd finally realised that maybe she could do more with her life besides lie and steal and she was determined to take full advantage of the opportunity. She just hoped it didn't all blow up in her face.

()()()()

Vala sneaked into the pyramid unnoticed and sank heavily onto the steps leading to the throne, setting the hand device down next to her. She was tired, both physically and emotionally. The physical she could deal with. She was used to that. But the emotional toll...Well, she hadn't counted on that. She didn't think she could handle watching these people die because of her. She just didn't know what she could do about it. Nothing anyone did seemed to work and the hand device was quickly losing its effectiveness but she didn't know how else to help. Suddenly she heard footsteps approaching but didn't even bother to look up. She knew exactly who it was.

"You all right?" he asked as he walked up to her.

Vala thought for a moment. She could take the easy way out and lie. Or, better yet, flirt so he'd get angry and leave. But, for some insane reason, she didn't want him to leave so she tried honesty. "No."

Daniel sat slowly next to her, obviously surprised by her answer, and let out a loud sigh. "You can do this." He said it with such certainty that Vala actually wanted to believe him.

"I'm not so sure."

"Look," he said after a slight pause. "I know that hand device must be taking a lot out of you, but we really, really need your help right now."

"Each one is getting harder." Vala heard the fear in her voice but did nothing to hide it. Maybe if he heard it, too, he'd believe her. "Each time it takes longer, and they keep coming. I don't think I can save this whole village, Daniel."

"You have to keep trying."

She wanted to ask why but was interrupted by Colonel Mitchell's voice coming over the radio. She knew her time for honesty was up and let Daniel leave without another word. After a few minutes, she followed, determined to tell Daniel she was giving up. When she reached the courtyard, though, she saw Azdak lying on his bed, writhing in pain. Her steps slowed and she had to force herself to walk over to his bedside.

"He was just fine!" She heard Daniel say.

"Well, he's not fine now." Mitchell answered.

Vala knelt down beside Azdak. "I healed him! If they can get reinfected, this will never end."

"We must give in." came Azdak's weak voice. "They are too powerful."

"No." Vala told him adamantly, lifting the healing device over him. "It's okay. I'm here." She looked at Daniel, telling him without words that she would do whatever it took to help these people.

()()()()

Vala sat back and watched as Dr. Lam pronounced Azdak dead. Standing, she waited until the doctor left with Daniel before asking a medic for a moment alone with the deceased. When he left, Vala knelt at the bedside and pulled back the cover from Azdak's face. Not able to handle the sight, she quickly looked away, tears filling her eyes. When she saw Daniel approach her, she fought to keep them at bay, not wanting him to see her vulnerability.

"You did everything you could." he told her. All she could do was nod, not really believing him. If she'd done everything she could, Azdak would still be alive. Obviously she hadn't tried hard enough.

"He has returned!" Vala nearly jumped when she heard the shout of the villager. "The Prior of the Ori has returned!"

"You go ahead, Daniel." she said as a single tear slid down her cheek. When he was gone, she looked back to Azdak. He was dead and she hadn't been able to stop it. Despite the fact that she'd basically enslaved him, he was the closest thing she'd had to a friend since her childhood. He'd been her most trusted advisor, her confidant. She'd genuinely cared about him. Having watched him succumb to the illness, it left her with a sense of grief she hadn't felt since her mother's death. She failed to save Azdak just as she had her mother all those years ago. But Azdak's death also filled her with a rage that had her seeing red and she knew exactly who she was going to take that anger out on. Grabbing up a P-90, she made her way toward the Stargate. Someone was going to pay for this, and pay dearly.

The short walk from the courtyard to the Stargate did nothing to lessen her ire and when she saw the Prior, it exploded in her.

"Enough." she said as she came nearer to the Prior and aimed her weapon straight at him. "Heal these people now."

"Vala..." She heard the soft warning in Daniel's voice but didn't bother to even look at him. Her entire focus was on the Prior.

"No, Daniel, I've had it with the Ori. I think it's time we sent them a message. Or will you heal them?"

"Only their faith can heal them now." the Prior told her.

"Then you are useless to us." Vala lifted the gun higher and began to shoot. It took her a moment to realise that the bullets were not penetrating their target. Stopping, she stared in shock and anger at the smug smile on his face.

"Stop at once!" Vachna yelled as he ran up to the Prior. She reluctantly lowered her weapon and watched on. "Please, do not let their evil deeds doom us. We all bow to the power of the Ori."

Vala watched helplessly as the villagers all prostrated themselves before the Prior.

"Hallowed are the Ori." he intoned.

"Hallowed are the Ori." the villagers repeated.

The Prior tapped his staff once more and closed his eyes as a bright light shone forth. She had to turn away at its intensity. She knew one thing, though. If this was the power held by the Ori, they were all in more trouble than any of them realised.

()()()()

Vala heard the soft knock on the door of her quarters and, for just a second, thought about not answering it. But she had a feeling she knew who it was and let out a resigned sigh. "Come in." she said, not bothering to move from her position on the bed, huddled under a blanket, knees to chin. Sure enough, Daniel walked in, closing the door softly behind him. He stood against the wall, hands in pockets, staring at her. She stared right back, knowing he expected her to make some remark about his coming to her room late at night, but she was just too tired to oblige. She simply continued to stare at him until he spoke.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yes, Daniel, I'm fine." She tried to put on her best smile but knew it failed to reach her eyes. She was just too exhausted to care.

"No, you're not." he said as he moved to sit next to her on the bed. "It's okay to admit to being upset. I saw how much you cared about Azdak. About all of the villagers, in fact. You did everything you could to help them."

"But it wasn't enough, was it, Daniel?" She looked him straight in the eye, daring him to contradict her.

"That doesn't matter. What counts is that you tried. In the end, it was their decision to make."

Neither said anything for a few moments before Vala finally broke the silence. "Let me ask you something. Is is all worth it in the end?"

"Yes." he said without hesitation. He didn't have to ask what she meant.

Vala only nodded and bowed her head. When she looked back to him, he was staring at her so intently, she nearly broke. Instead, she pulled the blanket around her like a shield. "No, Daniel, I don't think it is. When you open yourself up to people, you become vulnerable, weak. And in my line of work, any weakness can get you killed."

"Caring about others is not a weakness. In fact, it takes a lot of strength to put yourself into a position to be hurt. But it is worth it, trust me."

They stared at each other again, both hearing the hidden meaning behind his words but neither willing to acknowledge it. After a few moments, Vala looked away.

"No, I can't allow it. Soon I will be back to my old life and I can't afford to have such a liability. Besides, it's much easier to get a job done alone. Less chance of being betrayed."

He sat with her for a few moments more but, when she refused to look back up at him, she heard him sigh and stand. She lifted her eyes just enough to see him head for the door. He opened it but, when he didn't immediately leave, she finally looked straight at him.

"You know," he said after a moment. "You could stay." And with that he was gone, closing the door softly behind him.

Stay? She'd never stayed in one place too long. Never more than a couple of months at a time. It was too risky. No, she couldn't stay. She had to keep moving. It was the only way she knew to survive.


	9. Chapter 8: Beachhead

**Chapter 8: Beachhead**

_"You could stay."_

Those words kept replaying in Vala's head as she wound her way through the corridors of the SGC. Why something so simple, so off-hand should cause her such preoccupation, she didn't know. All she knew was that it brought with it a slight twinge of hope and a good measure of discomfort. Neither was an emotion she knew what to make of. The hope seemed to stem from Daniel's apparent belief in her, an oddity in itself. And the discomfort...She didn't want to admit it, even to herself, but thought it came from the feeling she got that his statement hadn't been at all off-hand. And if it wasn't, what was she willing to do about it? Could she settle down on this rock, make an honest living for herself? Was she willing to turn her back on the only life she thought she deserved? And if she did, would it still be there if, no, _when_ this one fell apart on her? No, she couldn't do that. As she'd told Daniel, it was too risky. With that thought in mind, she pasted on her most disarming smile and hoped no one looked too closely. Unfortunately, the one person she knew could see right past the mask was making his way toward her at the moment. She sighed heavily as Daniel called her name. She stopped and waited for him to catch up, realising instantly that there was no way to avoid him. And avoid him, she would have, given the chance. She'd done a fair job of it in the last few weeks since he'd come to her room. Thankfully the effects of the bracelets was wearing off and they could be separated for hours at a time. He hadn't sought her out, either. A fact that made her grateful, and unaccountably irritated. She knew it was antithetical, but she couldn't seem to help it. He seemed just as unwilling to revisit that night as she and she was happy for it. She really was. So why did she feel such an insane sense of anticipation as he stopped beside her with a genuine smile gracing his features?

"Hey, uh, Teal'c, Mitchell and I are going to play some basketball. Wanna join us?"

"Basketball?"

"Umm...Well, it's a sport played here on Earth. You have to get a ball through a net..." She must have been looking at him like he'd gone completely mad because he stopped abruptly. "Never mind, I'll just show you. Mitchell and Teal'c are waiting in the gym. You game?"

In spite of herself, Vala was curious. She told herself it was because this sport sounded a lot like one she remembered from a planet she'd visited a few years ago. Except there they'd played to the death. She hoped the same rules didn't apply here. Shrugging, she followed Daniel down the corridor. What could one silly game hurt? She'd be off Earth and away from Daniel soon enough. A few hours couldn't make that much of a difference.

()()()()

Vala couldn't help shaking her head in dismay as Nerus stepped through the Stargate. He brushed off General Landry in the pompous manner she remembered then made his way over to Teal'c. As he went on...and on and on...about the greatness of SG-1, she rolled her eyes and bit her tongue. If these Tau'ri wanted to trust a Goa'uld, and a minor one at that, she wasn't going to say a word. She just hoped that when disaster befell them, they didn't pull her down, as well.

There was another reason she didn't speak, though. She'd had the bad fortune to meet Nerus once in her time as Qetesh and it was not a memory she wished to revisit. Suffice it to say, he made gluttony and avarice an art form. And his appetite did not stop at food, either. Thankfully he didn't seem to recognise her and she sighed in relief as General Landry was finally able to make him leave the gateroom. Shaking her head again, she turned toward the boys and gave them her best "I told you so" look before sauntering after Landry. This was going to be a long day.

()()()()

"You can't possibly trust him." Vala said and skipped to keep up with Daniel as they followed Teal'c and Mitchell to the control room. Apparently they were going to try dialling Kellana.

"Never said we trusted him." he replied in a bored tone.

"Then why are we doing this?"

"I'm doing it because it's my job. Your doing it because I don't want to die."

She stopped for a moment and watched as he kept walking. Well, that was blunt. A few weeks ago he was asking her to stay. Now he acted as if he couldn't get rid of her soon enough. She'd just have to accommodate him as soon as possible then, she thought and walked into the control room. Suddenly she felt the unmistakable tingle in her blood, letting her know there was naquadah nearby. She knew it wasn't the Stargate or Teal'c. This one was new. She glanced around the room, looking for the source, someone she didn't recognise, maybe. Her eyes lit on a blonde woman talking to General Landry. They narrowed as she tried to figure out who she was. She didn't look like any of the Goa'ulds she'd known. Was she Tok'ra? A former host? She was wearing the same uniform they'd forced on her so obviously she belonged to the SGC. She shrugged it off, deciding to think about it later. Right now she was more worried over the intention to trust Nerus.

"I promise you he's lying." she said to no one in general.

"About which part?" Daniel asked.

"All of it."

"Yet we have been unable to dial the coordinates to Kellana despite several attempts." Teal'c answered after a moment.

"Goa'ulds don't do anything for anyone other than themselves." Why did she have to keep reminding these people of that?

"Maybe it's in his own interest to stop the Ori." Mitchell put in.

Oh, she gave up. If these people were determined to delude themselves, she wasn't going to waste any more time on them.

"Chevron Seven still will not lock." Walter told them and she sighed. This was going to be bad, she just knew it.

"All right, we've tried that long enough. Colonel Carter?" General Landry called the blonde woman over and Vala studied her as she moved across the room. Carter explained that they were going to Kellana via the _Prometheus_. She noticed that the other woman's voice sounded wary when she informed them that they would be using "any and all means" to complete the mission. It made Vala wonder if this Colonel Carter wasn't altogether on board with the plan.

"We've been developing something at Area 51 that General O'Neill believes will be out best chance to stop them right here, right now." 

"But you don't agree." Vala said shrewdly and was gratified when Carter paused before answering.

"I believe we have to try. I just don't think it'll be enough."

Finally, someone reasonable. She was going to say so when Landry interrupted.

"It's all we've got. Questions?"

Oh plenty, Vala thought and raised her hand but Daniel caught it, lowering it to her side before she could speak. She pulled it out of his grasp as the general asked Teal'c about a response from the Jaffa Council, to which he was answered in the negative.

"Well, we can't wait for Gerek. We proceed as planned. Chief, dial the 'gate."

"Yes, sir." Walter said and moved to the console.

"Move out." Landry ordered.

With a final shake of her head, Vala followed Mitchell and Daniel to the gateroom, biting her tongue the entire time. She had a really bad feeling about this. Standing back from the others, she watched the interaction between Colonel Carter and Daniel and felt a slight twinge of jealousy. They seemed entirely too close for her liking.

"Well, temporary or not, it's good to have you back." she heard Daniel tell Carter. She couldn't see her face but imagined it to be wearing a sappy grin.

"How good is this?" Mitchell exclaimed. "Got the band back together."

"Yeah, so what's with the extra back-up singer?" Carter asked in a whisper, apparently not realising Vala could hear her. Or just not caring. Either way she felt as if she were being pushed out of the way. It didn't matter, though. It would just make leaving that much easier. She listened as they went on as if she wasn't even there. Finally she'd had enough and spoke up.

"Wow. You're just dying to get rid of me, aren't you?"

"No. Not dying to." Daniel said unconvincingly.

"Oh no, I know I'm not welcome here." she said as she moved passed them to stand on the ramp. "Despite all my efforts to try and fit into your little stargating club, you can all rest assured that as soon as I can safely part Daniel's company without killing the both of us, I will."

She started walking up the ramp then turned back and pointed an accusatory finger at General Landry. "Oh, and you. You will wish you had listened to me when I said letting the Goa'uld come here was a mistake."

She flipped her scarf over her shoulder and sauntered through the Stargate. A fine exit, if she did say so herself. Well, it would have been if she wasn't stuck waiting for SG-1 on the other side.

()()()()

First he stole her scarf, now he expected her to beam down into a toxic environment in this bulky suit so they could nicely ask a Prior to cease and desist. And all because some megalomaniac Goa'uld told them to. Why was she the only one who could see through Nerus? She could sense that Colonel Carter was wary about using the weapon but didn't know if it was the Goa'uld's involvement or something else causing her concern. Unfortunately she didn't have much time to speculate on the matter as they were beamed down to the planet. She watched as Mitchell set the weapon then turned an anxious look on the Prior.

"How can he breathe?" Daniel asked.

"Perhaps he has a personal shield of some kind." Teal'c answered, matter-of-fact.

They all stopped in front of the Prior and Vala watched on warily as Mitchell began to talk. The bad feeling she'd had since Nerus came to Earth only grew. This was not going to turn out well. She could see that what they were saying had absolutely no affect on the Prior, just as she'd expected. But now they were stuck until the next expansion of the force field. Apparently the boys realised the same thing because they turned away from the Prior and the group huddled together.

"I sure hope they shut down that 'gate before we have to set this thing off." Mitchell said.

"That would appear to be highly unlikely, Colonel Mitchell." Teal'c proclaimed.

"I know." Vala agreed, glad to see that someone was being reasonable. "It's naïve, even for you."

They continued to talk for a few more minutes when suddenly they heard what sounded like shots hitting the force field. Vala looked around uneasily. Oh, this was _definitely_ not good.

"The force field is being fired upon by Ha'tak vessels."

"Why are they doing that?" Daniel asked.

A more pressing concern came to Vala's mind. "Can we get them to _stop_ doing that?"

"Oh, this could be bad." Mitchell lamented. "The Mark IX's fuse in Mode Two is a wee bit twitchy."

"You mean it could go off?"

"Yeah."

Why didn't anyone tell her these things _before _going through with them? Yep, this was bad. The shots stopped as suddenly as they'd begun and Vala sighed in relief. She followed the team toward the weapon as a voice came over the radio, telling them they were going to be beamed out as soon as possible. Mitchell set the weapon and let the ship's crew know that they were ready. He told the Prior it was his last chance but the man merely turned his back on them and went back to staring at the Stargate. When Vala felt the tingle of the beam, she didn't think she'd ever been more grateful in her life. Unfortunately, she felt that this was only going to get worse before it was over.

Once back aboard the _Prometheus_, they quickly removed their suits and made their way to the bridge. Colonel Carter was arguing with a Jaffa on one of the Ha'tak vessels and Vala stood back to watch.

"We have reason to believe that the Ori are attempting to use this planet to stage a full scale invasion." Carter was saying.

"And you hope to repel this invasion with words?" the Jaffa asked, sounding incredulous. She couldn't say she blamed him, either. "There is more to this."

"Words are often the most powerful weapon of all, Gerek." Teal'c said sagely. "The old ways will not stop an adversary as powerful as the Ori."

They went back and forth until Mitchell finally broke in.

"We're sending the Ori a message which they should receive in about ten seconds."

"Shields to maximum." Pendergast ordered, then turned back to Gerek. "Gerek, I suggest you give the same order aboard your ship. There will be a blast wave."

Gerek cut off the transmission and everyone aboard the _Prometheus_ readied themselves for what was about to happen.

"Five seconds." Mitchell informed them.

Suddenly a bright light was seen through the force field but Vala noticed that it only seemed to grow.

"Sir," Marks began warily. "The force field went into another expansion phase just as the bomb detonated...and it's a big one."

"The force field continues to expand." Teal'c said.

"It isn't supposed to be doing that, is it?" Vala asked Daniel.

"No." he answered.

"Why is it doing that?"

"I don't know."

"What are you going to do abou-"

"Vala, shut up." he interrupted then turned toward Colonel Carter.

"That was a multi-gigaton detonation." she told them. "There's no way."

"Maybe the gate was destroyed." Daniel said hopefully.

"No." Mitchell countered. "If the field is still expanding, the gate still has to be active."

"The environment inside the field has been turned into superheated plasma. Makes it impossible to get a reliable reading."

Before anyone could say anything else, Gerek's face appeared on the screen again. "And this is your message to the Ori?"

"Pithy, wasn't it?"

"We struck the enemy with our most powerful weapon." Teal'c informed him.

"And yet, their force field grows."

"That was not our intention."

"This beachhead must be destroyed. If you are truly our ally, you will join us in this attack. If you do not, your ship will become our next target." With that, Gerek disengaged the communication and Vala could see the worried glances on the faces of the others. Maybe they were finally realising the trouble they were in. After a few moments of deliberation, Mitchell gave the order to fight. The weapons didn't seem to be having any effect, though, as the field continued to grow.

"Dammit." Carter exclaimed.

"What?" she and Daniel asked at the same time.

Carter told Mitchell that they had to stop firing and when Pendergast gave the order, she explained that their weapons were actually the reason it was growing.

"You mean they planned this?" Vala said, giving Daniel an "I told you so" look. Maybe next time he'd listen to her.

"There's no way to project the necessary power through a Stargate across galaxies. So they designed a force field that could be powered by our own weapons." 

"The Ori knew the Jaffa of Kellana would defend their homeworld and others would follow."

"And Nerus made certain we'd join in." Daniel said angrily.

"Which means he's working for the Ori." Mitchell stated.

"The Mark IX gave them almost 70% of the power they needed to envelop the entire planet."

"Oh yeah, we've been set up."

"What a complete shock!" Vala said sarcastically. At the angry looks given her by Mitchell and Daniel, she ducked her head. "Won't say another word."

"Gerek's forces must also cease fire." Teal'c said.

"Open communications." Pendergast ordered.

"Too late." Daniel pointed out as they watched the force field finish its journey around the planet.

"I'm reading activity from the surface." Carter said after a few moments. "We've got incoming. Three objects and counting, bearing one-zero-eight, rising from the planet's surface from the coordinates of the Stargate and accelerating." 

Pendergast ordered the shields raised to maximum and Gerek's face once again appeared on the screen.

"Why have you ceased fire?"

Teal'c, Carter and Daniel tried to explain the situation but it was apparent that Gerek didn't want to hear it. Suddenly alarms sounded from the Ha'tak and the communication was cut off. Vala's attention was forced back to the screen where she saw a bunch of objects flying about.

"Multiple contacts on multiple bearings, sir." Marks told them.

"What the hell are they?" Mitchell asked.

"They're about ten metres long, but sensors read no internal space, no life signs aboard."

"Rail guns to defensive fire mode. Stand by to launch fighters."

Suddenly another alarm went off and Marks told them one was about to hit them.

"Sublight engines to emergency thrust." Pendergast said. "Brace for impact!"

Oh, why didn't anyone ever listen to her? She wondered once again as she grabbed hold of the command chair. She watched as one of the Ha'taks blew up then felt the _Prometheus_ rock as they too were hit. Alarms sounded and sparks flew as Pendergast finally gave the order to leave orbit. About bloody time, too.

Not long after, Gerek informed them that the planet was shrinking and he was withdrawing and that, should they remain, their actions would be watched. His ship flew off and Vala actually wished she'd been with him.

"What is he talking about?" Mitchell wanted to know.

Daniel merely shrugged in answer. It was beyond obvious to her that Gerek had meant the cloaked ship was still there but chose not to mention it. They were ignoring her anyway. Why should they start listening now?

"He's leaving." she said in a last ditch effort but was, of course, ignored. Instead Pendergast ordered them back into orbit.

"Okay, I've got a fix on the planet." Carter said. "Looks like Gerek was right. According to the sensors, its diameter has decreased by 16%."

"Planets don't shrink in my experience." she muttered to herself.

"Oh, there's something else." Carter said.

Mitchell, Teal'c and Daniel gathered around Colonel Carter's seat as they gazed at the image on screen. Vala's bad feeling worsened as they neared the objects and got a good look at them. Oh boy.

"Doesn't that look an awful lot like...?" Daniel started but was cut off.

"Yeah, it does." Mitchell said.

"In fact, I think that's just what it is." Carter confirmed.

"No, it can't be, because I was going to say 'Stargate'."

"Try 'Supergate". Carter said in an awed tone. "I estimate it's three-to four-hundred metres across."

"Large enough for the passage of an entire armada." Teal'c said.

Vala moved over toward Marks and looked at the image on the screen. An idea suddenly hit her. "It's incomplete. There's still time."

"Time?" Daniel asked, sounding incredulous. "Time for what? Everything we've done has just made things worse."

They continued to discuss what was going on, completely ignoring her. She tried to be patient, waiting for the perfect opportunity to present itself. She knew her idea could work, they just had to listen. Finally Mitchell asked how they could stop it and she tried to speak up.

"I have an idea. If we can..." But Daniel interrupted her, obviously not listening. She glared but they just kept going.

"Okay, the 'gate is composed of individual units." Carter put in. "The-There must be some sort of energy linkage between them, like a-like a chain."

"Exactly." Vala said, trying once more. "So we..." Again she was cut off, this time by Mitchell. Fed up, she turned and ran toward the ring room, not waiting for them to listen. Someone had to do something fast and apparently she was the only one to do it. She got to the room with no trouble, filching a zat on the way, and ringed herself over to the cloaked cargo ship. She left the platform and waited. When the Jaffa came to investigate, she zatted him and made sure to ring him over to the other ship before moving onto the bridge.

"Hey, don't leave without me." she told the crew on the _Prometheus_ over the radio.

"Vala?" came Daniel's voice. "Where the hell are you?"

"Oh, you care now?" And she almost made herself believe she'd heard worry in his voice. Then he yelled at her and she told herself it was all wishful thinking. "I'm aboard the cloaked cargo ship that Gerek left behind to watch us."

"How did you find it?"

"Good guess?" When she didn't receive an answer, she explained. "When controls are set a certain way, rings seek out the nearest set, which happened to be aboard this cargo ship, cloaked or not."

"What are you doing?"

This time the worry was unmistakable and Vala took a second to bask in it before getting back to the issue at hand. "Trying to help, Daniel. Someone had to do something, and you wouldn't listen." She fiddled with a few more controls before continuing. "Actually, I got the idea from Colonel Carter. The objects are being held in some sort of energy field,, like links in a chain, and I intend to take the place of the last link."

"Vala," came Carter's voice over the radio. "When that singularity forms, there will be a powerful shock wave. The cargo ship won't survive."

"I'm counting on it. I'll ring back before it hits, and you can all thank me immensely." Then see if you'll be able to ignore me, Daniel, she thought.

She carefully manoeuvred her way into the space and slowed to a stop. She heard a loud crash and felt herself being thrown forward by the impact. Suddenly sparks of lightning shot through the ship and she started to panic. Maybe this wasn't such a great idea, after all. She scrambled from her seat, trying to avoid the bolts and keep her footing at the same time. She finally made it to the ring room, input the coordinates and waited for them to take her back to the _Prometheus_. One final impact hit her and everything went dark.


	10. Chapter 9: Crusade Pt 1

**Chapter 9: Crusade Pt. 1**

Vala awoke in a strange bed and sat up quickly. Oh, not a good idea, she thought as dizziness overwhelmed her. Lying back down, she glanced around and took in the rustic décor. "Uh oh." she intoned as she realised where she was. This was definitely _not_ what she'd had in mind. What had happened? The last thing she remembered was activating the rings, huge bolts of energy, then...nothing. Had she somehow been transported to the Ori galaxy? Was that even possible? She had to figure this out. Sitting up more slowly this time, she took a few deep breaths until the world righted itself again. She wondered if this dizziness was a lingering effect of the bracelets or something else entirely. Pushing the thoughts aside for a moment, she glanced down and realised she was wearing a filmy white nightgown. This whole waking up in clothes that weren't her own was becoming a disturbing trend, she thought in exasperation. Her thoughts were suddenly derailed when she heard uneven footsteps coming toward her. She braced herself for the worst and was surprised when a single man walked in. He had sand-coloured hair and gentle eyes the colour of the sea. When he noticed her awake, he smiled and walked over to the bed with a noticeable limp. He seemed harmless enough but Vala knew better than most that appearances could be deceiving. She smiled back carefully as she took time to study him closely. He reminded her a bit of Daniel which made her feel inexplicably safer.

"How are you feeling?" he asked in a soft voice as he sat on the edge of her bed.

"A little disoriented, actually. Where am I?"

"You are in the village of Ver Isca."

Okay, Ver Isca. One mystery solved, even if it did sound disturbingly similar to Ver Ager. So, onto the next question. "May I ask who you are?"

"Forgive me, I am Tomin."

"It's nice to meet you, Tomin." she said with a smile which he returned. "My name is Vala. Can you tell me how I got here?"

"Three days ago I found you lying unconscious on the ring platform just outside of town and I brought you back to the village."

Three days? She'd been unconscious for three days? This had to be an after-effect of the bracelets. Any other explanation frightened her. She glanced up to see Tomin staring at her with something akin to adoration on his face before he continued to speak.

"I have been alone for so long. I asked the Ori to send me someone and here you are, a gift from the Gods." His smile was gentle as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

Vala tried to keep her own smile in place but it was difficult. He thought she was a gift from the gods? Well, she could work with that. She'd done worse. Tomin seemed to be a devout Ori follower so she couldn't tell him the truth. But maybe there was someone in this village from Fannis' gang. She'd have to do some reconnaissance, find the unbelievers, and maybe get back home. Or, at the very least, gather information and figure out a way to send it back to Earth. It was nice to have a plan of action. She had work to do, but first...

"Um, where are my clothes?"

Tomin blushed and looked away. "They are in the wardrobe, but you will not fit in here wearing them. A young woman named Denya assisted me in getting you settled here. She found some proper attire for you and changed you into what you are wearing now. She also brought some clothes which are hanging in the wardrobe."

"I'll have to thank her." Vala said with a smile. She almost laughed at how uncomfortable just the mention of her nudity seemed to make Tomin. Daniel, on the other hand, never even blushed when she brought it up and he had actually seen her naked.

"I shall take you to her when you are feeling well enough. For now, though, I think you should remain abed until you regain your strength."

"I feel fi-" Vala cut herself short as she tried to rise only for the dizziness to return. Taking a deep breath, she lay back down. "Okay, maybe you're right."

"Good." Tomin said with another gentle smile. "You rest and I will bring you something to eat. I'll be right back."

"Thank you." she said to his retreating form and closed her eyes. She was tired. Maybe the reconnaissance could wait a few days.

()()()()

It was nearly a week later when Tomin came to her room and asked if she felt strong enough to go for a walk. She still had dizzy spells from time-to-time but knew she was going to have to get up sooner or later. She had a job to do and she was getting restless just sitting around. As much as she enjoyed being waited on hand and foot, one could only take so much. Tomin was very sweet but maybe a little too doting at times.

Delving into the food Tomin gave her, she watched as he left for prostration. No way was she going to explore on an empty stomach. A short time later she heard a door close downstairs and knew Tomin was gone. Climbing out of the bed, she donned the shawl Tomin had left for her and went to the window. She watched as he made his way through the village and felt a small smile light her face. He really was sweet. Too bad he seemed to be a devout Ori follower. After a few moments, she moved away from the window and went to the wardrobe. Her Earth clothing was sitting on a shelf, neatly folded, and she longed to put them on. But she knew she had to try to fit in here so she instead reached for a long, heavy-looking dress. She hoped it wasn't as cumbersome as the dress she'd worn while inhabiting Sallis' body but, as she put it on, she realised her hope was in vain. These people really had to be introduced to the wonderful world of form-fitting leather clothing. But for now she was stuck so she had to make do. Just as she was about to close the wardrobe door, she caught a twinkle within her Earth clothes. Moving things aside, she found her locket and felt a tear in her eye. She'd assumed she'd lost it somewhere on the way here and couldn't contain her happiness at seeing it. She opened it and smiled down at Daniel's face. How could she possibly miss him this much when she didn't particularly like him? Maybe...No, she wouldn't even go there. She had things to do and now that she was dressed, it was time to explore.

This house was decorated much like the one in Ver Ager. Rustic, hand-built furniture, heavy doors, plenty of candles. Vala started looking through drawers, under the mattress, inside the wardrobe, not quite knowing what she was searching for. Maybe she could find something she could use to get home or, at the very least, communicate with the Tau'ri. It was a long shot as best, though, and she knew it. Tomin wouldn't have any artefacts but she couldn't quite let go of the hope yet. Bedsides, there was another, more pragmatic reason for her search. She wanted to get an idea of just who this man was and what better way then to go through his things unimpeded?

Finding nothing in the bedroom, she soon made her way downstairs. She hadn't been to this part of the house before and was very curious. There were herbs hanging from the ceiling and she took a deep breath, enjoying the scent. It reminded her of the hours she and her mother had spent baking when she was a child. After a moment she pulled herself away from such thoughts and got back to work. She rummaged through everything but came up empty, just as she'd figured she would. One thing was obvious, though. Tomin lived a solitary life. There wasn't even any evidence of visitors. It made her sad to think if this gentle soul all alone. She could actually see herself liking him even though he'd probably be the one to light the fire if he ever found out who she really was. But she also knew it wasn't entirely his fault, he'd been raised to think this way. Maybe she could somehow convince him to see the truth. Before that thought had time to really take shape, she heard the door open. Had she really been at work for so long? She thought as she watched Tomin stroll in. He stopped when he saw her, a big smile on his face.

"You're up. I hope you are feeling better."

"Yes, thank you. Much better." she responded with a smile of her own and sat in the nearest chair. "I was hoping to take you up on your offer of a walk."

"Of course." he said happily. "I will show you around the village then we can take supper at the tavern. I'll introduce you to Denya."

"That would be lovely." And exactly what she was hoping for.

"Let me just put my things away and we will go."

Vala watched his retreating back for a moment then started formulating her plan. She couldn't be too obvious in her recon but she did plan to study this village and its people. There had to be a few unbelievers here. Unfortunately, it would likely take a while to root them out.

"All right, let's go." Tomin said as he moved toward her and helped her from her seat. He removed his hands quickly, as a blush covered his face. Definitely not like Daniel. Why she was comparing the two men, though, she wasn't certain. She also wasn't sure she wanted to know. It was safer to just push the thoughts aside and concentrate on her mission. As they left the house, she immediately felt eyes on her. Surreptitiously glancing around, she noticed people speaking in whispers and pointing toward her. She was quite used to the notoriety, unfortunately. But she still wanted to know what they were saying so she trained her ear toward them, homing in on what she could.

"That's her?"

"Tomin...gift form the gods."

"She looks..."

Vala was frustrated as the voices faded in and out. She longed to get closer but didn't want to appear obvious so she stayed beside Tomin. They were basically ignored by the villagers which only proved to reinforce her theory of Tomin leading a solitary life. She wondered if it had something to do with the limp and decided to ask him about it one day. But not today. Today she just wanted to concentrate on exploring and gathering intel. So caught up in her thoughts, she didn't realise where they were headed until they were upon it. The Ara, it was directly in front of her. The memory of being burnt alive struck her like a physical blow and she had to catch her breath.

"Vala, are you all right? Do you need to rest?" Tomin asked.

She could hear the worry in his voice and forced herself to smile. "I'm fine. Just a little...winded. I guess I'm not used to such exertion just yet."

"Lean on me and we will go to the tavern." He placed his arm around her waist and she was more than happy to let him lead the way so long as it was in the opposite direction of the altar. She'd thought she'd buried that memory deep but apparently she was wrong. Well, she'd just have to try harder this time to keep it at bay.

Upon entering the tavern, all commotion ceased as the patrons caught sight of her. She did her best to keep her smile firmly in place but it was difficult. As suddenly as it had stopped, conversation resumed, this time at a whisper. Vala could see Tomin blushing furiously, obviously not used to such attention, so she did her best to alleviate his discomfort.

"There is an empty table in the corner." she told him and he gave her a grateful smile as he manoeuvred them in that direction.

"You sit here and I will fetch us some food."

Vala watched him leave then glanced around the tavern. It seemed to be bustling with activity and she noticed that most of the patrons were men. That didn't surprise her much, though, as she caught sight of a pretty blonde making her way from table to table, speaking with many of the men. Vala knew just by looking at her that she was a harlot. She'd played the part a time or two in her life so it was easy to spot. As she was watching the girl, one of the men whispered something in her ear and her head swivelled in Vala's direction. Vala smiled uncertainly at her as the blonde moved straight toward her. Again the tavern broke out in guarded whispers and Vala wondered at it.

"Hi, I'm Denya." the perky blonde said. "Tomin said your name is Vala."

"Uh, yes. It's nice to meet you, Denya." Suddenly the name clicked and Vala peered at the girl closely. "You're the young woman who helped Tomin, who brought me these clothes."

"That's right." Denya took a seat and smiled brightly. "It's good to see you up and about. I know Tomin was very worried. How are you feeling?"

"Better, thank you. And thank you for the clothes."

"No problem. I'm just glad I could help."

Vala was about to say something else when a voice caught her attention.

"Are you sure that's her? You'd think a gift from the gods would keep better company."

Vala tried in vain to figure out who'd said it then turned back to Denya with an uncomfortable smile. The girl merely shrugged.

"You get used to it." was all she said.

"I'm not sure I _want_ to get used to it." And hopefully she wouldn't be around long enough for that to happen.

Denya laughed. "It's not every day we get to be in the presence of a real-life miracle of the Ori."

Vala studied Denya again for a moment. Had she really detected a slight tinge of sarcasm or was that wishful thinking? She'd have to be careful around her and was glad when Tomin walked up to the table.

"I see you two have met." he stated as he placed bowls and cups on the table.

"Yes, we were having a nice little chat." Vala smiled at Denya for a moment before turning her attention back to Tomin.

"Well, I had better get back to work before Seevis gets angry." Denya said and stood. "It was nice to meet you, Vala. I hope you stop in again and we can continue our talk."

"I'd like that." Vala watched her move off and noticed the mean-looking man behind the bar watching her every move. That must be Seevis, she thought. He must have felt her stare because his gaze zeroed in on her. He was studying her but, to what end, she couldn't say. She put him on her list of people to be careful around. It was going to take some time but hopefully she'd taken her first step in getting home.

()()()()

Their trips to the tavern became a regular thing. They'd go to prostration, something she forced herself to do, then take a walk through the village and end up at the tavern. She even managed to speak with Denya from time-to-time but it was difficult to really investigate with Tomin around. Even the times when she managed to see Denya early in the day, there was Seevis to contend with. He was always lurking close by, always keeping a close eye on her.

She'd quickly learnt that Seevis ran the village through fear and intimidation. He used his position as administrator and barkeep to great advantage, making sure the people of Ver Isca had every reason to prostrate, so long as he got paid. Vala wasn't ashamed to admit, at least to herself, that he frightened her. There was something truly sinister about the man, like he'd be willing to do just about anything to ensure his position. That was one of the reasons she tried to steer clear of him.

She'd learnt a few other things in her solo jaunts though the village. Not the least of which was what the villagers really thought of her. She'd overheard a few people saying they believed she'd escaped from another village due to scandal. She'd been able to shrug it off as she was all too used to being seen that way. More importantly, though, she'd heard whispers of an impending day of reckoning. It was these conversations she tried to take notice of. If she could get some solid information, a time or place, then maybe she could relay it back to Earth. She had a bad feeling that things were soon to get a lot worse.

()()()()

Things did get worse, but not at all as she'd expected. It happened one day while she was having a chat with Denya.

"I don't know if I can make it through prostration today." Vala said in a whisper, taking care that Seevis didn't hear. "My back feels like it's on fire."

"It's not just my back that hurts after six hours of worship to the Ori." Denya responded just as quietly.

Vala laughed and was about to say something when she was hit with a wave of nausea accompanied by dizziness. She grabbed her stomach and groaned, taking deep breaths.

"Are you all right?" Denya asked in concern.

"Yes, I'm fine." Vala assured her, slowly letting out a breath and forcing a smile. "I just get dizzy sometimes, that's all. What were we talking about?"

"Are you sure? Would you like me to get Tomin?"

"No! I told you, I'll be okay. It always passes."

"If you say so." Denya answered reluctantly but continued to stare at her suspiciously.

They continued to talk for a while longer, each trying to get the other to admit to something, when the dizziness returned. This time she had to grab the table for support before she collapsed, trying valiantly to not pass out.

"That's it, I'm going for Tomin." Denya said determinedly and stood to leave.

Vala stood herself, ready to argue, when everything went dark. When she finally came to, she was lying in her bed with Tomin sitting at the edge giving her a worried look.

"How long was I out?" Vala asked as she sat up slowly.

"Not very. How are you feeling?" Tomin leant forward to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear. It was fast becoming a habit of his but she wouldn't complain. It felt nice to be cherished for once.

"Better, I think. But I am a bit hungry."

"I'll go fix you something and be right back." Tomin smiled one last time before leaving the room.

Vala stared at his retreating back and sighed. She needed a little time to herself so she could figure out what was wrong. Unfortunately she had a bad feeling she knew but was afraid to think about it. It was impossible anyway. Wasn't it? She'd woken up sick nearly every day since arriving here but had attributed it to having travelled across galaxies or an after-effect of the bracelets. But now...Now she was beginning to think otherwise. Her mother had been a mid-wife so she'd seen pregnancy in all it's stages. She'd heard the stories of what it felt like. She didn't want to admit it, but she knew without a doubt that she was pregnant. How had it happened, though? She hadn't been with any one in...longer than she'd care to remember. It just wasn't possible. But apparently she was wrong. Here she was, in a distant galaxy, sharing a house with a devout follower of Origin. And that frightened her. What would Tomin do when he found out? These people burnt her alive when she forgot to say a prayer over tea leaves. What would they do to her when they discovered she was pregnant out of wedlock? Well, there was one way to remedy that. She'd have to get married and hope the date was close enough to fool everyone. And she knew exactly who she was going to marry. It was obvious that Tomin cared for her. She'd just have to convince him that they should get married. With her plan of action taking shape, she sat back with a sigh. Why couldn't anything be easy for her?

()()()()

For the next few days, Vala subtly flirted with Tomin. Brushing her hand against his, kissing his cheek as a thank-you, smiling at him in a loving manner. She didn't allow herself to feel bad about using him. She had no other choice if she wanted to live. Soon, though, she realised that time was running out. If she was going to convince Tomin that this child was his, they had to get married quickly. But she also knew that he had to believe marriage was his idea so she came up with a plan to get him to propose. So, almost a week after discovering she was pregnant, she put her plan into action. They had just returned from prostration and were having supper when Vala decided it was time.

"Tomin, I think we need to talk." She watched as he set his utensils down and looked at her. He seemed nervous and she couldn't blame him. "I am very grateful for everything you've done for me and I'll never be able to repay you."

"Your health and happiness is all that I need."

"Be that as it may, I feel I have to do something. That's why I've decided to find other living arrangements."

"You want to leave?" Tomin's voice took on a panicked tone. "You have no where to go. This is where you belong."

"I'll figure something out. Maybe Denya can help me out. But I've been here too long. People are starting to talk." That much was the truth. She'd over-heard her name countless times amongst the villager's conversations lately and none of it was good. "It's not fair to you, Tomin. I don't want you caught up in a scandal because of me."

"That's not true. The Ori know that there is nothing immoral going on here."

"There are...other reasons I believe my leaving would be for the best. We are both unmarried and..."

"And what?" he asked, grabbing her hand and squeezing it tightly.

"Well, living together like this...There is too much temptation to stray from the Path into wickedness. I don't know how much longer I can..." She trailed off with a slight blush and she could tell that Tomin was shocked by her words. His grip slackened on her hand and his eyes grew wide.

"Do you mean that you..." Tomin asked with a blush of his own as he trailed off.

"Tomin, I care for you." She placed her hand to his cheek and smiled. "I just don't want either of us to give into this temptation. It wouldn't be right."

"What if we married?" he asked with hope swimming in his eyes.

"I don't want to push you into anything."

"You will not be pushing me into this, Vala." He cupped her face in his hands and smiled brightly. "I have loved you from the moment I laid my eyes upon you. I just never thought you would feel the same." 

"Of course I love you, Tomin. And, yes, I would love to marry you." She pulled him into a hug and sighed in relief. Her plan had worked. Why was she feeling so guilty then? And why was she wishing it was Daniel holding her instead of Tomin?


	11. Chapter 10: Crusade Pt 2

**Chapter 10: Crusade Pt. 2**

Within a few days Vala and Tomin were married in front of what seemed to be the entire village. Vala was well aware that most of the people showed up out of curiosity. She'd heard more than one disdainful remark about Tomin and it saddened her but she forced herself to ignore it. If this was going to work, she couldn't allow herself to become any more emotionally invested than she already was. Besides, the last thing she needed was to make a scene. Especially with a Prior right there, presiding over the ceremony. They soon fell into a routine which didn't differ much from before they were married. Except now she took over most of the housework. She'd always hated the drudgery of housework. It was one of the reasons she'd enjoyed her nomadic lifestyle. But she'd definitely survived worse so she did what was expected of her. She could almost make herself believe this was a normal life, that they were a normal couple.

Some weeks after they were married, she was in the kitchen attempting to bake bread when she heard Tomin enter. One look at his anxious face and she stopped pounding away at the dough, her brow creased in worry.

"It's a miracle. Look at me." He was smiling broadly as he made his way toward her. Her eyes grew wide when she noticed that he no longer had a limp and she returned his smile. "The Prior blessed me. I can walk. I can run. I can fight now."

"You can what?" Her smile faded at his last words.

"I've been conscripted." He pulled her into a hug and she held on tightly. Finally he pulled back, his smile still firmly in place. "I must go try on my armour."

As Tomin made his way up the stairs, Vala sat heavily in the closest chair and unconsciously grabbed onto her locket. She'd known this day was coming but she hadn't been prepared for it to hit so close to home. She wanted to cry. For Tomin, for herself, for the people of her galaxy and his. But she knew that would get her nowhere so she decided to go talk to Tomin. Maybe she could still convince him to see reason. When she got to the room and saw him in his full armour, her heart sank but she resolutely pushed on.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" she asked even though she feared she knew the answer.

"Are you serious?" he asked in disbelief. "I never dreamt that I would one day be fit to serve the Ori in this way."

Vala walked into the room and stood behind him. "By killing people you know nothing about?"

"All I need to know is that they are enemy of the Ori. That they reject the teachings of Origin and would have us stray from the Path."

"But these so-called unbelievers, they're so far away, how can they affect us? Why do you have to go all the way over there-"

"The evil must not be allowed to fester anywhere!" he said in an angry tone of voice she'd never heard from him. It was then she knew she was losing the Tomin she'd grown to care for. His voice gentled as he continued. "Our journey towards enlightenment may take us to many unexpected places."

Placing her hands on his arms, she turned him to face her and smiled gently at him. "I cannot imagine you killing any one."

"I am not afraid to heed the will of the gods."

"Nothing I say will change your mind, will it?"

"Fear not. Once we warriors of Ori have vanquished the wicked, I shall return."

No you won't, she thought as he kissed her cheek and turned back to the mirror. "You will not be the same."

"No." he told her with a smile.

Vala shook her head and walked away. She turned back before leaving the room and took one last look at him. The kind, gentle soul of this man was disappearing before her eyes and she could do nothing to stop it. But maybe she could do something to stop the invasion. She had to try before countless lives were lost in this fruitless crusade.

()()()()

It took a while but Vala finally got Denya to admit to being part of the anti-Ori underground. She didn't tell the girl who she was or where she'd come from but was now able to openly ask her about the movement. Denya was pretty tight-lipped about it, saying she was afraid of Seevis, so Vala didn't push her. The very next day, though, while Tomin was out of the house, Seevis showed up at her door with a group of burly-looking men.

"What do you want?" Vala asked angrily but Seevis merely grabbed her by the back of the neck and forced her out of the house. She fought as he led her toward the Ara, memories of being burnt alive crashing over her like a tidal wave. Forcing her down on the bench, he had his goons chain her to it. She struggled, but in vain. "So, what did I do?"

"She is unholy!" he said to the gathering crowd. "She conspires with those who would lead us from the Path of Origin."

"I don't know who you've been talking to, but it's a lie." Had Denya betrayed her? Could she have judged the woman so wrongly? Vala chose not to say another word as the villagers started whispering around her. At least there wasn't any fire this time. She still had a chance to get away.

"Who else in the village has been corrupted?" Seevis asked as he grabbed her by the hair again.

"Apart from you, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"No one shall look upon, speak to, or aid such evil." he yelled to the crowd as he released her hair. "You will tell me who you've conspired with and the unbelievers will be found and punished for their crimes. Hallowed are the Ori."

Seevis and the villagers all walked away but Vala felt eyes burning into the back of her head. She turned to see Tomin standing behind her. She was about to call out to him but he walked away, leaving her, abandoning her to Seevis' wrath. Why had she thought he'd do something? He was a devout Ori follower. No matter how sweet and gentle he was, that was one fact that would never change.

()()()()

_Vala lay in bed staring upwards as flames engulfed the canopy. She couldn't move, couldn't make a sound. Suddenly a face emerged from the fire and started descending toward her. Why couldn't she move, run away? Just as the face was about to reach her, she felt herself being pulled away._

Vala awoke with a start to find that she was still chained to the Ara. Pulling herself up, she spotted Tomin across the way. They made eye contact for a moment before he turned and walked away. She wanted to cry but refused to allow any weakness to show. She'd been abandoned before. This time shouldn't be any different.

The next time Vala awoke, she was in her bed again. She looked around, fearing this was all a dream. But there was no fire, no horrifying face swooping down on her. She sat up slowly and took in her surroundings. This was real, she thought and sighed in relief. She had no idea how she'd gotten here but refused to question it. She was on the brink of falling asleep when she noticed Tomin standing in the doorway wearing an unreadable look on his face. She was too tired to analyse it, though, as sleep claimed her.

Later that night as she lay with Tomin in their bed, she couldn't shake the foreboding that Seevis was not quite done with her. That her escape had been too easy. She held Tomin's hand where it lay on her belly, trying to tell herself that she was finally safe again. But nothing seemed to work and she felt a chill run up her spine.

"Seevis." she breathed out quietly.

"He won't bother us again, I promise you."

She wished she could believe him. "You don't think I'm evil?"

He remained silent for a moment before answering. "I'm sorry I left you out there for so long. Please forgive me."

Forgive him. She wasn't sure she could do that. He claimed to love her but chose to believe Seevis over her. He'd abandoned her, not once but twice. She'd nearly died before he came to her rescue. Forgive him? No, she couldn't do that.

()()()()

A few days later Vala decided it was time to do some more extensive recon. She waited until Tomin left the village for training before dressing and was about to make her way downstairs when she felt a kick to her abdomen. Grabbing her stomach, she looked down in surprise. It wasn't the first time she'd felt a kick but after what she'd been through, she was shocked by the power behind it. Most women would take this as a comforting sign but, for her, it only brought home the fact that this pregnancy, this _child_, was not normal. A normal child would not have survived three days with no food or water. Part of her wished it hadn't. But a larger part, a part she hadn't even realised existed, was thankful it had. As much as she feared how this child was conceived, she still wanted it. But she was _not_ going to have it while under the watchful eye of the Ori. She had to figure a way out of this galaxy, a way home.

Grabbing a knife from the kitchen, she left the house and made her way out of the village. She hadn't gone far when she heard footsteps and she instinctively hid behind a tree. She watched as a group of soldiers went by and followed them at a safe distance. They branched off toward a well-worn path and she stood back until they were out of sight before moving toward a cliff in front of her. Peering over it, she was shocked by what she saw. Hundreds of men, huge, powerful-looking ships under construction. She'd known what was happening, known where Tomin and the others were going each day. But seeing it...She took a deep breath as she tried to take it all in.

"Impressive, isn't it?"

Vala turned quickly at the voice and was shocked to see Seevis standing behind her. She took a step back before realising she had nowhere to go, so she pulled out the knife. "Stay back." she said with as much courage as she could muster. Suddenly Denya emerged from the woods. "I promise, you don't want to come any closer."

"You can put that down." Seevis told her.

"It's okay." Denya reassured. Vala grunted in disbelief.

"We had to put you through that."

"To be sure we could trust you."

Vala stared at them, not quite certain what to believe. Were they saying they were _both_ part of the underground? Could she trust them? Did she have a choice? She slowly lowered the weapon but didn't put it away. "You are part of the anti-Ori rebellion?" she questioned.

"I am the leader." Seevis told her and smiled as her eyes widened.

"So, the whole administrator thing..."

"Is a cover. The power and money are quite useful to the movement."

Vala thought for a moment. Seevis was the leader of the underground. This could prove useful. He had to have some way for her to contact Earth. But first she had to know his plan, know what he was up to. "Okay. I assume you're not out here only to keep an eye on me, then."

Seevis grinned then explained that he had many men on the inside feeding him information. He now had the plans for the ships and knew exactly what they were planning. He said he'd found a way to rig the ships to set off a massive chain reaction.

"You really think it can work?" Vala asked, still a bit in awe of all of this.

"It has to." he told her with a hopeful smile, something she wasn't sure she could get used to.

After a few moments, they all turned back for the village. "When exactly are you planning this?"

"Three days from now, in a grand celebration, each Prior will activate a ship in a show of the Ori's power." Denya informed her.

"Everyone will be there?"

"All those who built the ships as well as those who will soon board them and go off and fight in the name of the Ori." Seevis said. "Tens of thousands."

"You're going to kill all of them?" she asked in horror. The idea took her back to her days as Qetesh. Only this time she would be a willing participant. Could she live with that? She'd done many questionable things in her time as a thief but she'd never committed mass murder.

"Gods cannot be gods without those who stand beneath them gazing upwards."

He really was going to kill everyone, she thought and stopped for a moment. Would she have done the same thing in his position? She hoped not. She hated killing, tried her best to avoid it whenever possible. She'd seen enough of it as Qetesh. Maybe there was another way. Maybe if she told them exactly who she was and how she'd gotten there.

"I think there is something I should tell you." she said and both Denya and Seevis stopped walking for a moment to listen. She explained about the Ancient terminal, how the Ori first discovered her galaxy, how she'd ended up in this one. She'd expected disbelief but the two co-conspirators merely smiled and told her to follow them. She did so without another word. They quickly entered the tavern and Seevis yelled for them to shut the widows while he retrieved a tool and used it to pry the top off one of the tables. Once it was removed, Vala looked inside and was shocked to find the Ancient terminal.

"That's...How did you..."

"I have spies everywhere, including the City of Celestis." Seevis informed her. "They heard of your story and saved this before it was burnt in the fires. I have had it for some time now, not quite certain what to do with it."

"Can I use it to contact my people, to warn them?"

"I think we should wait until after the sabotage. I don't want to tip any one off about our plans."

Vala nodded in understanding. She could wait three days. At least now she was one step closer to getting home.

()()()()

As Vala came in the through the upstairs of the house, she heard Tomin speaking to someone.

"She is my wife. The mother of my child."

"Is she now?"

Vala froze as she recognised the Prior's voice. Deciding not to announce her presence just yet, she sneaked down the steps to listen.

"The injury that crippled you since childhood, the one I have cured you of, to make you a strong, proud warrior-"

"Trust that I will use the strength I have been given to fight all unbelievers in the name of the Ori."

"Yes. But the same wound that made you lame, also made you unable to father children."

"But then-" Tomin cut off his sentence and fell into silence. Not that Vala could blame him. Her heart practically stopped at those words. Tomin couldn't father children? Oh, this was not good.

"Are you saying she betrayed me?"

"The child is the will of the Ori. That is all that matters."

Vala only listened with one ear as the Prior continued. Her child was the will of the Ori? What did that mean, exactly? She'd known from the start that this was not a normal pregnancy but had the Ori impregnated her? Was that even possible? And, if so, what was the purpose of the child she carried? She suddenly felt a kick to her abdomen and looked down in alarm. Now she _knew_ she had to get word to Daniel, no matter the cost.

()()()()

Three days later Vala found herself racing through the woods with Denya and Seevis. The plan had failed and the ships had not blown up. She hated to admit it, but part of her was relieved. She'd been torn over killing so many innocents, believing it was no different than what the Ori were doing. But she'd gone along with it because she hadn't seen an alternative. Now, as the ran into the tavern, she knew she had to warn Earth. They removed the table-top and Vala showed them how to set up the device. Taking a stone in hand, she glanced over at Seevis. He nodded once and she placed the stone into its spot, waiting for the pull.

Suddenly she found herself standing in a familiar room and realised she was in Daniel's quarters at the SGC. She smiled to herself. It had worked, she was back in her own galaxy. Well, sort of, she thought as she caught a glimpse of her reflection in Daniel's mirror. Or, should she say, Daniel's reflection. Her smile grew as she looked upon the face she hadn't been able to put out of her mind since first seeing it in her locket. She hadn't allowed herself to think about how much she missed him but suddenly she felt a tear run down her cheek. She brushed it away quickly. There was a reason she was here and she had work to do. But first, she had one thing to take care of before she went in search of Mitchell.

()()()()

Vala sat in the interrogation room and watched the varied expressions on the faces of Mitchell, Teal'c, Colonel Carter and General Landry as she filled them in on exactly what she'd been through in the months since she'd been gone. They were surprised when she told them of her condition and even more stunned to learn of the circumstances surrounding the pregnancy. She could tell they weren't sure if she was telling the truth, especially Mitchell, who looked slightly disturbed by the idea for some reason. She'd just gotten to the part about the failed plan when she felt a sudden jarring pull and was back in Ver Isca, staring at the molten remains of the terminal. She looked up and saw Tomin standing near the door. He was in full gear and had a determined look on his face, one she'd hoped never to see on him. As she watched him shoot and kill Seevis then Denya, she knew that the man she'd come to care for, even love, was gone. In his place stood the soldier of the Ori she'd feared would emerge when he was first healed.

"Tomin!" she yelled, looking away from Denya's body.

"You said you did not think I could kill an unbeliever." His voice was cold and Vala's heart broke for him. But, even more, she feared for her own life.

"Well, I'm so sorry I was wrong." He had no idea just how sorry she was. "You have to listen to me."

"No! I am deaf to all but the teachings of Origin." She'd never seen him so angry and it frightened her. "The Prior told me Seevis was corrupt. That he tried to sabotage the ceremony and would have killed thousands. He sent me here to kill Seevis and here I found you with him, conspiring over that device!"

"They made me do it!" she said frantically, keeping one eye on the staff weapon he had aimed toward her. She put as much emotion into her voice as she could manage, which wasn't difficult given how scared she was at the moment. She sat, hoping the vulnerable position would make her seem more honest. "They told me they would kill me if I didn't help them, and after what they did to me out there, wouldn't you? They thought this device was for communication, but were too afraid to use it themselves, so they kidnapped me and forced me to do it for them...Did the Prior tell you I was with them? Did he tell you to kill me?"

"No." Tomin said and Vala could tell he was weakening.

"Well, there you go, then." She stood and walked toward him.

"Were you able to communicate with the unbelievers far away?"

"Yes. And there is much I can tell you about them. If you just put that weapon down." She grabbed her belly as he continued to point it at her. When he didn't move, she tried another tack. "Tomin, you have to believe me, please...I overheard your conversation with the Prior the other day. I know, I'm sorry, I should have told you I was there. But I was so afraid. What he said shocked me. That this child is the will of the Ori? Tomin, I swear, I have not betrayed you. I have not been with anyone but you. So if you truly cannot father a child, this baby is a miracle. It's our miracle, and this is a great burden which I cannot bear alone. So from this point on, we must walk the Path together." She watched and waited. Finally Tomin lowered the weapon and she sighed in relief.

"I must leave soon for war." he told her.

"Then I must come with you."

Tomin came toward her and knelt down, placing his head on her belly. She rested her hands on his head and sighed once more. His trusting soul was still there, maybe he could be saved. But first she had to get home. And if that meant travelling to her galaxy on an Ori ship, so be it. She just hoped she could get there before the Ori could get their hands on her child.

()()()()

After leaving the briefing room, Daniel headed straight for his quarters. They were going in search of Merlin's weapon and he had to prepare. The team had explained everything that happened and he'd watched the recording of Vala in his body. It was disturbing at first to think of her controlling his every move. Then as she began to talk, he started to picture her instead of himself sitting there, just as he had when she'd inhabited Sallis' body. It was a surreal experience, to say the least. He'd seen the compassion as she described Tomin and understood the pain when she realised she couldn't save him. It hadn't taken him long to realise that she cared about this other man and he'd felt a pang of something he didn't want to analyse right now. Thankfully he reached his quarters before the thought could form. He started straight for his bedside table when a piece of paper on his dresser caught his eye. He didn't remember that being there. Picking it up, he noticed Vala's scrawl across it and smiled.

_My Darling Daniel,_

_ I find myself your quarters, in front of your mirror, writing this letter. For some reason it makes me feel better to see your face looking back at me, especially since I can't actually talk to you. I won't bore you with everything that is happening here as I'm sure the team has already filled you in. Just know that Tomin really is a good man. I realise that he is a religious zealot but he has a kind heart. I'm still hoping I can make him see the truth. I'm trying my best to get home but until then, don't get yourself into too much trouble. I really want to be able to tell you "I told you so" in person._

_ Love Always,_

_ Vala_

_P.S. ~ I swear, I won't violate your person in any way. Though, if I had more time..._

Daniel knew he should be outraged by that last part but all he could do was smile. He was going to do everything in his power to bring her back and he'd even let her do the "I told you so" thing if she was so inclined. The SGC never left any one behind. Hopefully Merlin's weapon was the first step in making that happen.


	12. Chapter 11: Camelot

**Chapter 11: Camelot**

Vala strolled through the corridors of the Ori ship, nodding to the soldiers she passed. Most walked by without a word, wide-eyed and apprehensive. When she'd first come aboard three weeks ago, she'd been stared at with suspicion, especially by those from Ver Isca. But soon word must have spread about the truth behind her pregnancy. She took on something of a celebrity status. That was all right by her, as it gave her complete allowance to wander the ship whenever and wherever she wanted. And since she was also deemed untouchable, few people bothered her on her travels. It made spying on the enemy that much simpler. While she couldn't get into any of the system without arousing suspicion, she made certain to create a mental blueprint of the ship. It wasn't easy when most of the corridors looked the same, but after a bit of time she could easily find her way to the armoury and the bridge. Now she had to figure out a way to get this information back to Daniel and the rest of the Tau'ri.

()()()()

Vala watched Tomin pace the confines of their room and knew he was feeling anxious. She also knew why. They were nearing the Supergate and be would soon be off to war. This may be her last chance to convince him to listen to her side.

"Come sit with me, Tomin, and tell me what has you so worried." She gave him her most loving smile and patted the bed.

"I am sorry, my love." he said, taking a seat beside her and grasping her hand in his. "The Prior has informed us that we will be at the Great Ring tomorrow. The time for battle is upon us."

Vala tried to hide her wince but Tomin saw it. He cupped her cheek and kissed her gently.

"Do not worry, my love. I must do my duty but I will return to you once the evil has been vanquished and we will be able to live our lives in peace."

"But why must you kill to obtain this peace? Surely the Ori-"

"It is the _will_ of the Ori." he told her fiercely. "Please, Vala, you must trust the gods to take care of us. They would not lead us into battle without being certain of victory. And once the people of this galaxy understand the truth, I believe they will turn also to the Ori."

Vala knew when she was fighting a losing battle so she merely nodded and kissed her husband's cheek. "All right, Tomin. I will trust in the Ori."

"Thank you, Vala."

"Now, come lay with me. It may be the last time we are together for a very long time."

Tomin smiled and nodded, laying back and pulling her into an embrace. Vala curled into him, holding on tight. They would be entering her own galaxy soon and she knew she was going to have to escape. She just wished she could have convinced Tomin to join her.

()()()()

The next day Vala awoke alone. She quickly got out of bed, making her way to the window and her breath caught at the sight before her. An armada of ships stood ready, prepared to enter the Supergate before them. It was already activating and Vala closed her eyes, trying not to think about what was going to happen. After a few moments, the event horizon settled into itself and the ships moved forward. She watched as the first group went through and felt trepidation wash over her as her own ship began to make the journey. One minute she was in the Ori galaxy and the next she was home. Before her stood a team of ships varying in shape and size. He heart stalled as she recognised two Earth vessels. Daniel. She didn't know whether to be relieved or horrified knowing he was close by.

Neither side made a move for a few moments. Everything was still, eerily so and Vala felt her stomach clench in anticipation. Suddenly all hell broke loose. The Earth vessel opened fire and the Ori ships responded. The battle was on and Vala feared she knew who was going to be on the losing side of this one. The battle raged for what felt like hours but was likely a much shorter time. A group of Lucien ships exited hyperspace and she watched as they futilely shot at the Ori ships. The battlefield was becoming a sea of debris and Vala felt useless. Suddenly an Earth vessel was blown up and all she wanted to do was weep. No, Daniel could not be dead. She had not travelled all this way only for him to die. There had been two Earth ships. He was on the other one, he _had_ to be. She watched for a few more moments when she suddenly felt a cramp in her stomach. No, not a cramp. No, no, no! This could not be happening. She was in labour.


	13. Chapter 12: Flesh and Blood

**Chapter 12: Flesh and Blood**

Vala took a deep breath as another contraction ripped through her. Oh gods, this could not be happening. She was finally home, in the middle of a battle and she was about to give birth aboard the enemy ship. Instinct told her to run, get away. She could not allow the Ori to get hold of this child, _her child_. Once the contraction ceased, Vala made for the door only for it to open. Tomin entered with a soft smile.

"The Prior sent me." Tomin said as he stood before her. "He said it is time for the child to come forth."

Vala could only stare at her husband in shock. So much for an escape, she thought. She was going to deny his words when another contraction hit and she doubled over in pain. She heard the door open once more and felt Tomin's arms come around her as he led her to their bed. Reality hit her hard as the group of midwives gathered around her and she tried not to weep. She was going to give birth aboard this vessel and there was nothing she could do about it.

()()()()

Vala couldn't stop shivering. The physical pain was unbelievable, but the emotional toll...She knew she shouldn't have allowed herself to become so invested in this pregnancy. She'd known practically from the beginning that the child wasn't really hers. But had she really just given birth to the Orici? Had she really just given the Ori one more weapon against her galaxy? If they would only allow her to see the baby, maybe she would see it wasn't what Tomin said. Maybe there was still a chance...Suddenly the door opened and Vala turned to see her husband enter.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

Like someone just stole my child, she wanted to say but didn't have the strength. Forcing herself to sit up, she looked at Tomin pleadingly. "Look, they can't keep her from me. No matter who or what she is, I'm her mother. She needs to be fed and cared for, doesn't she?"

"She's being well cared for." he argued.

"I should be allowed to see her." Vala argued right back.

"I spoke with the Prior." 

"And?" she urged.

"They've agreed to let you see her."

"Thank you." she whispered just as the door slid open again. Tomin fell to the floor in submission as a woman and young child entered. This couldn't be...

"Hello, Mother." the girl said softly.

Vala was speechless for a moment as the truth of who this child was hit her. The Ori had used her to create...Well, she wasn't exactly sure what the girl was yet, but she knew it wasn't good. Vala was scared so she fell back on the one thing she could always count on: her wit.

"Well, I heard that children grow up quickly, but this is ridiculous." Vala hissed out a breath as another sharp pain hit her. The girl came closer and placed a hand on Vala's belly, the very belly she'd emerged from less than an hour ago, and Vala could feel the sensation of being healed. It reminded her of her time as a Goa'uld. Between that and the fact that it was her toddler child performing the process, Vala's fears grew. "Well, that feels much better. Thank you."

"You do not believe." the child said, matter-of-fact.

"I don't know what you mean." Vala disputed, staring warily into the child's golden eyes. They reminded her of the fires used to burn her to death and she had to look away. But her gaze returned when the girl began to speak once more.

"You cannot hide your feelings from me. It's all right. I will help you find the Path." the child paused but Vala couldn't find the words to argue so she remained silent. "Hallowed are the Ori."

"Hallowed are the Ori." she heard Tomin pronounce solemnly.

Vala's eyes darted between her husband and her daughter, absolute fear taking over. Oh boy, she was in trouble.

()()()()

Vala walked unsteadily through the corridors of the Ori ship, unknowingly fidgeting with the locket hidden beneath her dress. She'd just returned from visiting Adria, her now pre-teen daughter. At least, that's how old she looked. She didn't know what frightened her more, the fact that the Ori had the powers to accelerate age so effortlessly or that Adria seemed to believe every bit of propaganda she'd let fly. She'd been adamant in her stance and Vala hadn't seen her waver once. Not until she realised that her own mother wasn't swayed by her argument. Maybe she could use that, Vala thought as she returned to her quarters. The moment she entered, though, a familiar chill raced up her spine and she turned to see a cloaked figure standing in the corner. Her relief was palpable when she realised it was Daniel and she wanted to shout in joy but the gun he held on her kept her from making any sudden movements. He signalled her to be quiet and, for once, she obeyed.

"Long story." was all he said.

"Are you alone?" she whispered.

"Yes." he said, still pointing the gun at her, his eyes travelling up and down her body. "What happened to you?"

"What do you mean?" His eyes darted down once more and Vala followed them. "Oh, I had a baby." She didn't even take in his incredulous look as she started to rant on about how children only grow up to break your heart.

"What are you talking about?" Daniel interrupted, looking extremely confused.

"Well, she started out all sweet and innocent to begin with, and now she's hell-bent on domination of the galaxy.

"What? How old is she?" he asked, obviously baffled.

"A few hours." Vala smirked and at Daniel's mystified look, she told him that Adria was basically an Ori in human form so they could get around the ascended rulebook.

"Sort of like an uber-Prior, like the Doci?"

"Oh, but she's much worse than that!" Vala told him in frustration. "The Priors are just pawns. She knows the score. She's complicit with the Ori. You should have heard the propaganda she just tried to feed me."

"Wait, wait, wait. We're talking about a baby, right?" Daniel stuttered, looking even more adorably confused.

Vala tried to explain that Adria had been genetically altered to grow up quickly and chose to ignore his comment about this being bad. She completely agreed but chose to try and lighten the mood. It didn't work.

"Do you have any idea where we're going?"

"No." Vala said with a grimace as she turned to face Daniel once more. "That she wouldn't tell me. She knows I'm not on her side. She's still hoping I'll see the light. But part of her can't help but feel tied to me. She wanted me to give her a name."

"And?" Daniel asked suspiciously.

"Adria. Told her it was my mother's."

"Not?"

"Stepmother. Witch of a woman." Vala turned away as memories of Adria filled her head. She heard Daniel say something but the words didn't register. She turned back to him once more. "Do you know what's strange, Daniel?"

"No."

"She has the knowledge of Ascended Beings, twisted though it may be, but I sense that there is a part of her that is just like any other kid, that wants her mother's approval. So I'm hoping I can use that somehow. I mean, why else would she care what I think, right?" Vala could tell Daniel was sceptical but it was all she had at the moment. He started talking again but she suddenly saw Tomin getting ready to enter. "Hide."

"Yeah." he said, obviously not getting it.

"Hide!" she yelled more urgently.

Once Daniel realised what she was talking about, he launched himself over the bed, landing with a thump and she coughed loudly to cover the noise as the door opened.

"Ha-Hi." she greeted her husband.

"What?" Tomin asked, walking distractedly past her.

"Hi. Long day?" She followed him around the bed, trying to keep him from seeing Daniel.

"Uh, I'm exhausted. I see you're up and around." Tomin rubbed his hands over his face and Vala decided to use his momentary distraction to her advantage. Knocking him onto the bed, she lay over him and grinned.

"Much better." She leant in to kiss him, not at all surprised when he responded fervently. She tried to concentrate on the kiss but all she could think about was the fact that Daniel was likely seeing and hearing everything. Pushing herself upwards, she looked into Tomin's eyes and stroked his cheek lovingly. "I missed you today."

"As did I." Tomin told her as he sat up to lean against the end of the bed. "I have been asked by the Orici to speak to you on her behalf."

Vala sighed and lay over his legs.

"She told me of your conversation. After everything you've been through, everything you've seen, how can you still not believe in the Ori?"

"You think I don't."

"The Orici is a truth-seer."

"She is a child." Vala argued. "Little girls always have issues with their mothers."

"Are you saying you do believe in the Ori?"

Vala could hear the hope in Tomin's voice and knew she had to tread carefully. Oh, yes, she believed in the existence of the Ori, but to her husband, there was little difference between that and their being gods.

"Why are you here if you doubt my devotion?"

"Because I love you." he paused and Vala knew he was waiting for her to reciprocate but she couldn't. Not with Daniel listening in. It just felt wrong somehow. After a moment, Tomin continued. "Because I'm still hoping I can save your soul."

Still Vala said nothing as he leant down to kiss her. She was concentrating her attention on the kiss and she didn't hear the alarm until Tomin pushed her upwards.

"What? Where are you going?"

"I am called to duty." he said as he hastily left the room.

Biting her lip, she refused to look back as she felt the bed move. She could feel Daniel's eyes on her, though. "And here I was hoping I could save him."

Neither of the room's occupants said a word, both trying to figure out exactly what they were feeling.

()()()()

Walking down the corridor with Daniel, she found it a little disconcerting to see him dressed like an Ori soldier. She tried to shake off the depressing thoughts as she explained the weapon he was to use. She also tried to shake off her nerves as she entered Adria's quarters.

"Adria? It's me." she called out.

"Come in, Mother."

The first thing that struck her was that Adria's voice was different and Vala knew without looking that she had grown again. Walking around to the front of the bed, Vala saw her daughter sitting on its edge. She looked to be a teenager now.

"Are you all right? Why are you sitting here alone in the dark?" Suddenly the girl nodded and the torches by the bed lit. Vala laughed nervously at the sight, finally distracted from her own thoughts.

"The knowledge in my mind is growing as I am." Adria told her. "It's a lot to take in. It makes my head ache."

"I can imagine..." At Adria's dubious expression, Vala backtracked a little. "Actually, no I can't. But I'm sure it's rough." As if being a teenager wasn't hard enough, Vala thought to herself. She didn't know what else to say, so she made her way to the window. As she looked out on Chulak, memories of her time as Qetesh bombarded her and, for once, she held onto them. They at least would keep Adria from being able to discover her plans.

"What are you doing?" Adria asked suspiciously.

"Looking out on Chulak." Vala turned and watched her daughter as she made her way to the window. "Are you interested in the planet you're conquering?"

Adria opened her mouth to speak but seemed to re-think it as she stared at Vala suspiciously. "Have you been here before?"

"Once." Vala sat on the window seat, facing Adria directly. "What do you know of the Jaffa?"

"They are a proud people. Confused about the ways to salvation. They have been misled by parasites posing as gods for many generations." To Vala the girl sounded as if she was reciting text from a book but she listened any way. "But in their hearts, I believe they know ascension is the true goal of out existence."

"They why are you slaughtering them?" Vala asked pointedly and smirked at Adria's angry glare. She stepped away for a moment, happy that she got the upper hand, at least for the time being.

"They must embrace their destiny." Adria returned angrily as she joined Vala where she stood near the door. Finally.

"Well then. Hallowed are the Ori." she said, hoping Daniel heard.

"Please, Mother." Adria returned angrily, facing Vala once more. "It is blasphemous for an unbeliever to speak those words."

"No. Really. You're starting to make sense to me now. I'm really coming around." Vala could tell her voice was becoming more desperate. "Hallowed are the Ori."

The door finally opened and in walked Daniel. But behind him was Tomin carrying a staff weapon. They looked at each other in disappointment as they realised they'd been caught. No one spoke for a few moments then Tomin broke the silence.

"They were conspiring against you!" he told Adria.

"Yes, I know." Adria replied calmly. "Kill him."

"No!" Vala said vehemently and went to stand between Tomin and Daniel. "Wait. We want to talk to you."

"Move!" Tomin shouted. Vala could see his hesitation and it gave her hope.

"I said kill him." Adria returned and Tomin moved into position. Once Vala realised what he planned, she pushed Daniel out of the way. Hot, searing pain ripped through her as she fell to the ground. She heard the commotion but didn't register the words as Adria came over to heal her. She was just starting to feel a little better when the healing stopped and she saw Adria and Tomin both fall unconscious to the ground.

"You couldn't have waited until she'd finished healing me?" she asked, annoyed.

"Well, she was distracted." Daniel answered, pulling her upwards.

"Leave me, grab her." she told him as she struggled to stand.

"Oh yeah, like that's going to happen."

She wanted to ask why he was being so stupid when the room suddenly filled with fire. Daniel pushed her behind him and she saw the Prior enter. He came toward them and Daniel tried to stun him. When that didn't work, he pointed his gun at Adria. Instinctively, Vala stopped him, knowing immediately it was the wrong thing to do. But she couldn't allow him to kill Adria. She was still her daughter, no matter what the Ori made her into. The Prior smiled malevolently and pulled Daniel's gun away telekinetically. Just when Vala thought they were dead, though, she felt Daniel's arms wrap around her and they were transported away. Once they re-materialised aboard the Earth ship, Vala didn't know whether to hug him or slap him. Instead, she felt herself being pulled into unconsciousness from the pain. Her last thought was that she would die before figuring out why Daniel didn't grab for Adria instead of her.

()()()()

As Vala sat back on her bed in the infirmary aboard the Tau'ri ship, she couldn't keep her thoughts from drifting to Adria. Her daughter. Vala felt rage and sorrow wash over her. She hadn't been able to save her own daughter from being poisoned by the Ori. She should have tried harder, demanded Daniel take Adria instead of her. Why hadn't Daniel listened when she told him to take Adria? She likely would have been killed but at least their side would have gained a huge advantage. Suddenly her thoughts were de-railed as the object of them walked in.

"How are you feeling?" Daniel asked, standing next to the bed.

"Better." she told him. She studied him for a moment before asking the question topmost in her mind. "Daniel, why did you rescue me instead of Adria?"

He was silent for so long, she didn't think he was going to answer. Finally, though, he came closer and looked her in the eye. "Why did you take that staff blast for me?"

They stared at each other for a few moments, each trying to decipher the look in the other's eyes. Finally, Vala looked away as the infirmary doors opened and the rest of SG-1 entered. The moment was lost and Vala was relieved. Now was not the time for this. Neither one of them was ready.


	14. Chapter 13: Morpheus

**Chapter 13: Morpheus**

Vala wandered through the halls of the SGC, taking in the comforting familiarity. It wasn't something she was used to so she decided to relish it while she could. Daniel had kicked her out of his office because she'd been asking too many questions and he couldn't get any work done. Now she was trying to find something to do that wouldn't get her into trouble. The last thing she wanted to do was give General Landry a reason to send her packing. She needed to stay on Earth, at least for the time being. She told herself it was self-preservation causing her desire to remain but it was becoming increasingly obvious Daniel was the real reason. Why, she wasn't certain yet. Yes, there was that whole "true love" thing but she wasn't sure _what_ she felt for the man right now. Her emotions were a jumbled mess and she really hadn't had time to analyse them. Nor did she feel the desire to do so. The idea of what she could reveal frightened her. She'd been on her own for so long, had closed herself off from feeling anything real for anyone, she wasn't sure she was capable of doing so any more. Maybe she was doomed to continue her solitary existence forever. The thought depressed her, so when she reached the commissary, she decided to fill the ever-present void with sustenance. It was a temporary fix, but a familiar one.

Vala piled her tray high with food and decided to take her it back to her quarters. She really was not in the mood for human companionship at the moment. As she wove her way through the corridors, she did her best not to cause any trouble. She was almost home-free when she heard someone call her name from behind.

"Vala!" the familiar voice of Samantha Carter called out and Vala cringed. "Hey, I've been looking all over for you."

"It was already broken when I picked it up." Vala lied and kept walking.

"Huh?"

"You're talking about the spherical, multi-coloured device that makes a beepy noise when you turn it on?"

"No." Samantha drew out the word.

"Oh?" she asked and cringed again at her own stupidity. Why did she have to open her big mouth?

"Look, uh, I can't help but notice that you've kinda kept to yourself since you've come back. You've been very reserved, which is a huge change from the Vala Mal Doran that we've all come to know and..." Samantha trailed off and Vala looked at her questioningly, wondering where this was going. "Well, that we've all come to know, anyway. I mean, it's completely understandable, of course, given everything you've been through. But, I just, I wanted you to know that..."

Samantha paused for a moment and Vala finally stopped walking to study the other woman before she started speaking again.

"If you ever wanna talk, _please_ don't feel awkward about coming to me. O-or any of us, for that matter. I just want you to know I-I'm here for you."

"Thank you..." It was Vala's turn to trail off. She wasn't used to anyone being there for her, but Samantha looked genuine enough. Vala took a deep breath before continuing. "Samantha I'll, um...bear that in mind."

Vala gave what she hoped was a grateful smile, then turned to leave before Samantha's voice stopped her once more.

"About that spherical, multi-coloured device in my off-"

"Don't know what you're talking about."

Samantha merely raised an eyebrow but wasn't able to question any further before a voice came over the speaker system, telling them there was an unscheduled offworld activation. Vala breathed a sigh of relief and handed over her food tray to a passing soldier before following the other woman. A small smile played on her lips as she went over in her head what Samantha had said to her. She'd never had a real friend before, if that's what the blonde had been offering. Never really had anyone around who didn't wnt something from her in exchange Maybe it was time to give it a try. Maybe Daniel wasn't the only reason she could find to stay on Earth.

()()()()

After meeting Teal'c and listening to Daniel's incoherent rambling about finding a gate address, Vala followed the latter to his office. She was still a little shaken after learning about Adria's part in conquering six planets but it made her more determined than ever to make herself useful. And she needed to talk to Daniel. No matter what Samantha said, right now he was the only person she knew she could count on.

"What do you want, Vala?"

Daniel's voice startled her out of her thoughts and their eyes met. She could get lost on those eyes if she let herself. Shaking off the thought, she plastered a smile on her face.

"I want to help you." she said brightly.

"Why?" Daniel's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Vala had been expecting that response and had a flippant lie waiting on the tip of her tongue. For some reason, though, she couldn't voice it. She'd never had a problem with lying before. Why was she finding it so difficult now? Maybe it was because she'd found with Daniel, honesty was the best course of action. Maybe it was those eyes that bore into her, seeming to dive into her thoughts and seeing things no one had ever bothered to look for. Whatever it was, Vala found herself opening up to the man.

"I feel responsible, Daniel. I am the one who informed the Ori of our galaxy. I did give birth to the Orici. It's my fault we're at war and I want to see it end as much as anyone else. Maybe more."

"First of all, the Ori knowing about us is not entirely your fault. I was there, too." Daniel told her, never breaking eye contact. "As for Adria, you really didn't have much say in that. It's not your fault."

"You're wrong, Daniel. But that's neither here nor there. The fact remains that I want, no, _need_ to help end this. Given what I know about the Ori and their followers, I believe I can be a great asset to your team."

"That's not up to me, Vala."

"Couldn't you talk to General Landry about it? Convince him that I can help?" Vala could see him weakening. "Please, Daniel."

"I'll see what I can do." he told her with a slight smile. "But first, we have a briefing to get ready for."

Daniel started leafing through texts, placing markers on pages. Vala could only stare in wonder. He was actually going to help? She couldn't believe it had been so easy. Maybe there was something to this honesty thing after all.

"Hey, you gonna help or what?" Daniel asked and Vala could see the amusement in his eyes.

Vala couldn't help the grin that lit her face as she moved deeper into the room. Daniel responded with a small one of his own then went back to his work, instructing her on exactly what needed to be done. Yup, maybe she had more reasons to stay than she'd thought.

()()()()

Vala paced nervously outside the room where she was supposed to have her psychiatric evaluation. She'd done enough research to know that the key to passing was to appear as non-threatening as possible. Vala knew she was very good at putting on different personae as the situation called for it. She'd had to in her line of work. If she could make this doctor see her as a Tau'ri rather than an alien, she knew she'd pass. So, squaring her shoulders, Vala pasted on her most genial smile and entered the room. Peeking in she saw a short man holding a cup of coffee and she mentally grinned. This would be easier than she'd assumed.

()()()()

Vala walked slowly back to her quarters thinking she may have underestimated Dr. Hutchinson. After the ink thingy test, they'd fallen into a long silence before the doctor told her they would take a break. Vala had been relieved and more than a little annoyed. None of her research or practised ploys worked on the man. She'd thought she could convince the general that he was unfit but Landry had brushed off her concerns, even going so far as to tell her he didn't think she was taking this seriously. He was wrong, though. She'd never been more serious about anything in her life. Reaching her room, she let herself in with a sigh. She had to come up with some way to convince these people that she wanted to be here.

()()()()

Standing in front of her mirror, Vala thought about the plan she'd concocted. Dr. Hutchinson was a man and she was going to use that to her advantage. If he was like every other male on every other planet she'd ever been on, he would be distracted by the same thing: Sex. Well, not sex, exactly, but if she could make herself up and unsettle him with her beauty, maybe he would be more inclined to pass her. Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Hello." she called out.

The door opened and Vala watched as a thin, balding man stepped in.

"Hello." he said. "May I have a moment of your time?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm just on my way out." she told him genially. "I've got a meeting."

"With Dr. Hutchinson, I know. That's why I'm here." The man glanced quickly down the hall before closing the door. "I promise to be quick."

Vala turned, intrigued by him but also cautious. Something about him put her on edge and she'd learnt early in life to trust her instincts.

"My name is Richard Woolsey. I work for the International Oversight Advisory, a civilian-run organisation made up of representatives from the various nations involved in the Stargate program."

"And what can I do for you, Mr. Woolsey?" Vala asked carefully. She'd heard Daniel speak of the IOA and he'd said nothing good.

"Why don't I tell you what we can do for you?" Woolsey asked, taking a seat at her table. "We can see to it that you pass your psychiatric evaluation with flying colours, effectively putting any doubts Stargate Command may have about you to rest."

"And what would you want in return?" she asked slowly. She knew when she was being played but decided to go along for the time being. Maybe this would give her some idea of exactly how the Tau'ri viewed her.

"Just a little...insight into the weekly goings on here at Stargate Command." Ah, there it was, Vala thought but chose to remain silent as Woolsey continued his pitch. When he finally finished, she took a seat across from him and eyed him carefully.

"So you want me...to be a spy."

Woolsey laughed and stood, heading for the door before getting one last shot in. "I've read your file, Miss Mal Doran. I don't think what we're asking is that unusual, for someone with such a colourful history."

Vala said nothing as she watched him leave. Well, she'd wanted to know exactly how the Tau'ri saw her and now she had her answer.

()()()()

Vala stalked angrily through the halls of the SGC, ignoring anyone who got in her way. How dare these Tau'ri pass judgement on her! How dare they humiliate her so thoroughly! They, in their relative safety on a planet not over-run by Goa'uld, had no idea what it was like out there. They were idealistic and naïve. Yes, she'd done things she wasn't proud of to survive. She'd had little choice. She didn't need these people to tell her what a bad person she was. She already knew that but she was trying to change. Didn't that count for anything? Storming into her quarters, Vala threw herself on the bed but her intention to wallow in indignant self-pity was cut short by a familiar voice.

"I'm assuming things didn't go well." Woolsey said.

Vala sat up slowly, stunned more by the fact that she hadn't felt his presence rather than his actually being in her room. She turned slowly, cautiously to face him and felt herself break a little at yet another reminder of just who she was and what she'd done. When she spoke, she couldn't keep the emotions from seeping through.

"I fail to see the point of that ridiculous exercise, unless its purpose was to thoroughly humiliate me. Those questions weren't intended to shed light on my character, or delve deeply into my subconscious." Vala took a moment to pause, hoping she could control her emotions enough to finish. "They were merely little reminders as to exactly why...I don't belong here."

Vala watched warily as Woolsey smiled calculatingly at her and she felt a shiver of unease wash over her.

"Then I take it you've carefully considered our offer, and come to a decision."

"I have." Vala paused and took a deep breath, preparing herself for what she knew had to be done. "I want to thank you for your kind offer, but I've decided to decline. I don't think Earth is the right place for me at the moment and have chosen to take my leave as soon as possible."

"Well, I am sorry to hear that." Woolsey said, almost sounding sincere. "If you change your mind, though, I will be around."

Woolsey smiled at her one last time before leaving and Vala continued to stare at the door long after he left. She had to fight the urge to bolt but something held her back. She knew what it was, or rather, _who_, but didn't want to put a name to it. She'd overheard snippets of conversation and knew SG-1 was in trouble. What that trouble was, she wasn't sure. But she wanted to be here when they returned just to be certain they were okay. At least that's what she was telling herself. She wasn't ready to delve into the real reason. Once Daniel was back on Earth, though, she was going to leave this planet as quickly as she could. She knew that she wasn't cut out for this life and she didn't need any more reminders.

()()()()

Vala wandered about the SGC, trying to find out anything she could about Daniel...er, SG-1. She'd heard enough to know they were still off-world and there was some sort of extraction planned, whatever that meant. She just hoped they returned soon so she could get off this planet. Distractedly, Vala rounded a corner and nearly ran into someone. She apologised then moved on but too slowly, it would seem as Dr. Hutchinson was able to find her.

"Ah, Vala." she heard him call out.

"Oh, not you again." Vala sighed, doing her best to lose the little man.

"Ah, you know you still have another scheduled appointment."

"What would be the point of that? You people have already made up your minds about me."

"Is that what you think?"

"Well, it's not like I haven't encountered this sort of thing before." Vala said, trying very hard not to sound bitter. "You know, I saw it every day in the eyes of the people who couldn't separate me from the Goa'uld who enslaved them. So, you know, instead of becoming a victim of their arrogance and stupidity, I chose to take advantage of it. So, I lied, I cheated, and I stole. I'm not going to apologise for it. And, to be perfectly honest with you, I can't guarantee I won't do it again, all right?"

Without giving the doctor a moment to respond, Vala moved off to an elevator, just wanting to escape. She turned back one last time, though and faced him.

"Of course, I have recently found myself risking my life for something other than my own personal benefit. Maybe it's just a phase-" Vala said sarcastically, looking back as the elevator opened and telling its occupant to hold it. She turned back to Dr. Hutchinson as she made her way into the car. "Or maybe its because, for the first time, I've actually met someone who, in some small way, actually believes in me. But I'm sure you're right, I'm sure it will pass."

Vala glared at the man standing in the elevator as the door closed, glad to have that off her chest. It felt good to finally say what she wanted without worrying over ramifications. Vala was still angry, though, when the car reached her floor and she got out, heading straight for her quarters. Quarters, ha! More like a prison cell. These people didn't trust her and they never would, she thought as she slammed once more into the room. She made sure to glance around to be certain no one was lurking before she grabbed a bag and started packing her few belongings. After she was done, she felt completely exhausted and decided to have a quick lie down. A few minutes, she told herself, then she would leave. Collapsing on the bed, Vala curled up atop the covers, her hand unconsciously grabbing hold of the locket as she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

()()()()

Hours later, Vala awoke felling surprisingly refreshed. She sat up and looked around, a little disoriented, before everything became clear. Glancing at the clock, she was shocked to realise she'd been asleep for ten hours. She hadn't meant to sleep that long. She'd planned on being off this rock hours ago. That thought led her to wonder about Daniel's whereabouts but she pushed it away. Maybe it would be better for her to just walk away. Decision made, Vala stood, grabbed the bag she'd packed earlier, and made straight for the gateroom. She was leaving and no one was going to stop her. When Vala finally made it to the gateroom, she smiled up at the people in the control room.

"Hello, I've decided to leave your fair planet. Would you mind terribly opening the 'gate for me? I'll give you the address of the world I wish to go to." When they only continued to stare at her, she grew annoyed. "You can't possibly expect to hold me here against my will."

Vala noticed a technician speaking into a phone and, though she didn't know exactly who he was calling, she felt panic set in. She looked around, spotted a group of crates at the bottom of the ramp and climbed on top of them.

"Dial the 'gate! I don't care where you send me right now, just dial. You cannot hold me here if I wish to leave. I was told I could leave any time I wanted." A group of soldiers gathered around her as her voice grew louder. She looked up at the control room once more. "I never liked you, and I know you can hear me! Dial the 'gate, now! Dial the 'gate! Don't make me come up there." Looking away, Vala shoved a rather persistent soldier who seemed hell-bent on pulling her down. "You stop it!"

"What's going on?"

Vala hopped off the crate when she heard the general's voice. She faced him and wasn't surprised to see SG-1 standing behind him. Still, she held onto her resolve. "I'm leaving. I'm not staying somewhere where I'm not welcome, and don't even think about making me stay against my will." Vala hated that she couldn't hide the emotion in her voice but hoped no one else detected it.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Landry said, looking sincere. "But I figured you'd want to stay after going through all the trouble of passing the psychiatric evaluation."

"I passed?" Vala didn't even try to hide the emotions this time.

"Dr. Hutchinson seems to think that you have a lot of potential."

"He does?" she responded, making eye contact with Daniel and not able (or willing) to break it.

"He feels you can make a significant contribution here at Stargate Command." Landry continued with a smile. "And I agree."

"Congratulations." Daniel put in.

Vala bit her lip to keep the tears from falling as she continued to look at Daniel. She saw something in his eyes she hadn't seen since her mother died: Pride. He was proud of her and it filled her with awe.

"I-I'm a little...overwhelmed." she said with a little sniffle then squared her shoulders a bit, regaining some of her natural arrogance. "But, as my first-official act, I'd like to report a rather disagreeable little man."

"That would be me."

Vala turned toward the voice and watched Woolsey enter then turned back to the general as he spoke.

"Mr. Woolsey's offer was part of the test. We wanted to make sure we could trust you."

"I knew that." Vala said, crossing her arms over her chest and maintaining her best "vulnerable woman" face. "But were his sexual advances part of the test?"

Vala held her composure as she listened to Woolsey stutter behind her. She watched as SG-1 tried not to laugh.

"Well, I would've even considered playing along, but some of his requests were..well, a little...unusual, even for me." She finally let herself smile as Landry stalked out, Woolsey right behind him, trying to defend himself. Vala hopped up to Daniel with a grin. "So, when do I get one of those SG-1 badges?"

"You don't." she heard Mitchell say as he came to stand right in front of her. "You're not a member of SG-1. You're a probationary member of Stargate Command, who'll be subject to some very intensive scrutiny for the next few months."

"Oh." Vala said in a small voice.

"Don't screw up." he told her and all Vala could do was shake her head in agreement. Mitchell turned away but after a moment looked back at her. "And welcome aboard."

Vala couldn't help the grin that lit her face as her earlier excitement returned. She followed the team out of the gateroom, trying to convince them they needed to celebrate. She'd never in her life been this happy and she wanted to shout with joy. She promised herself that she would do everything she could to win these people over. For the first time in her life, she wanted desperately to fit in, to be a part of something. She wasn't going to screw this up.

* * *

**A/N:** The opening Sam/Vala scene is actually different from my original one. It's based off a deleted scene from _Morpheus_ that I'd completely forgotten about until recently. If you haven't seen it, you can find it on youtube.

**A/N2: **And just because I know you're going to ask...Yes, **Brat**, I did study that scene very carefully for all of the subtle nuances. But I did refrain from the "he blinked, she blinked" bit. ;)


	15. Chapter 14: The Pegasus Project

**Chapter 14: The Pegasus Project**

Unable to sleep, Vala wandered the corridors of the _Odyssey_. She'd been excited about accompanying SG-1 to Atlantis, even if Mitchell had seemed less than pleased at having her tag along. She knew she was only here because everyone thought she'd get into less trouble with Daniel around. She wouldn't complain, though. She wanted to be here, to see why Atlantis drew Daniel, what it held that was so desirous to him. But after three weeks aboard this vessel, she was growing restless. She'd never done well with too much time on her hands and, though she'd tried to fill the hours helping Daniel with his research, one could only take so much of his obvious enthusiasm. Even her.

But it wasn't really the waking hours she was having trouble with. She could always find someone to occupy her time with, even if it was only to drive them to distraction. But at night, or what passed for night while aboard a spaceship, she found the task far more difficult. She'd always had a hard time falling asleep, at least since Qetesh. But she'd grown accustomed to such things invading her sleep. She would deal with Qetesh the way she always did, by pushing her to the back of her mind and avoiding the subject. Now, though, her days and nights were filled with thoughts of Adria and Tomin. There was simply no avoiding it. All day she worked to find a way to stop her daughter and at night she struggled with the "what ifs". What if she'd ended her pregnancy when she'd learnt of Adria's true purpose? What if she'd been able to convince Tomin to come with her? What if she'd forced Daniel to take Adria instead of her? She knew she was wasting her time thinking like this but couldn't seem to help herself. That's how she found herself walking the ship every night. Without realising it, she stopped in front of the room Daniel was using as an office. The door was closed but that didn't stop her. She opened the door and peeked her head in. There he was, hunched over his desk, completely oblivious to the world around him. Or so she thought. Without her even making a sound, Daniel looked up at her and, with an understanding nod, he pushed out an extra stool for her to sit on. She took it and watched as his attention went back to his work. Neither said a word, comfortable with the silence. They both knew it wouldn't last once morning came. She would pester him, he would get annoyed by her antics and they would argue. But right now as they both battled their night time demons, they remained silent. It was enough for Vala to have someone who understood at least some of what she was going through. She hoped it was the same for him.

()()()()

Leaning over the railing of the balcony, Vala tried to take in the splendour that was Atlantis. She'd always been fascinated by the Gate Builders and now she was in a city built by them. It was awe-inspiring, if she was being completely honest with herself. But that wasn't what had her wandering off after the meeting with the Atlantis crew. No, it was more the look she'd seen in Daniel's eyes that had her craving a few moments of solitude. The wonder and fascination were there, of course. How could they not be when surrounded by so much beauty? No, it was the other gleam in his eyes, the one that said he was at peace in his surroundings. She'd never seen that look on him before and felt a little envious of the city that gave it to him. She knew it was crazy to be jealous of a city but she couldn't help herself. The look told her that this was where he wanted to be, where he felt he truly belonged. Her thoughts were thankfully interrupted when she heard the whisper of the balcony door. Popping up quickly, she saw Daniel and Dr. Weir making their way toward her and pasted on a small smile. She didn't want Daniel to see the unexplainable sadness that thinking about him belonging here brought on. She had no reason to be sad, she had no hold on him. So she pushed ahead with a glib remark concerning "souvenirs" and knew it had the desired affect. Daniel was distracted from her once more. She didn't even bother to really listen as she followed Daniel and Dr. Weir out. She tried to take in all that was Atlantis as she kept up with the two, tossing out a comment just to make it look as if she was actually paying attention. Her focus was on the city and the wonder it held. When she tried to veer off again and Daniel pulled her along with him, she didn't even mind so much. She was certain it was just as amazing this way. But when the two doctors stopped and Weir went into another room, Vala stopped Daniel.

"Hey, do we have to go in there straight away? Can we do some sightseeing first?" She gave him a persuasive smile and knew he wanted to acquiesce. Instead, he turned her around and pushed her forward.

"Um, maybe later."

Vala smiled, knowing how difficult that decision had been for him. She'd finally found the one thing that could convince Daniel to leave behind his dusty old books and have fun. Too bad it was in a different galaxy. Vala brushed that thought away as she tried to focus on the task at hand. Work first, then play. She could do that...Right?

()()()()

She was so bored!

At times, watching Daniel work was one of the most fascinating things Vala had ever seen. She loved the way his mind worked so rapidly, connecting things together before she'd even had the chance to think. Then there were moments like this, moments that actually bored her to tears. She was close to breaking when the hologram went into another lecture. She could see Daniel was becoming annoyed, too as he dipped his head and sighed.

"Okay, um, show me the order in which the earliest Ancient cities were founded."

"How is that useful?" she asked, annoyed. "You going to join up all the dots and draw a pretty picture?"

"I'm just getting my bearings." Daniel retorted, equally irritated. "You're going to have to get used to the fact this is probably going to take a while." 

"The way you approach things, it could take the rest of our lives!" she answered in her most saccharine voice. Not that she had a problem spending the rest of her life working with Daniel, but she was sure they could come up with better ways to spend their time. Vala shook away the "rest of their lives" idea as Daniel spoke up once more.

"I'm sorry, but we're not going to find the location of this by looking under "W" for "Weapon"!"

""P" for "Planet", then?" At his disgruntled expression, she shrugged. "I'm just saying, ask the question!"

"Dr. Weir already tried it, it'd be a complete waste of time."

"It would take all of eleven seconds." Vala said sweetly, shrugging her shoulders up to her ears and grinning. It was with great effort that she didn't haul out and hit him across the back of the head.

Finally Daniel asked the question as Vala paced away.

"Satisfied?" he asked in exasperation but shut up when the hologram actually answered.

Vala turned and slowly made her way back to Daniel, a smug smile gracing her lips. "Now, I'm satisfied."

Daniel didn't say a word as two 'gate addresses popped up and Vala continued to grin.

"See, Daniel? It doesn't hurt to ask."

When Daniel still remained silent, staring hard at the hologram, Vala wondered why he wasn't more excited. Isn't this what they wanted?

"Daniel." she whispered insistently.

"Hmm." was his only response, not even bothering to look at him.

"We got what we came for."

"I know." he returned in his quiet, thoughtful voice.

"Shouldn't we be out there telling someone?"

"Not yet."

Vala paused for a moment, wondering at Daniel's steady gaze.

"Okay, well, she told us the name of the planets. They were right up there glowing in the ceiling. Taoth Vaclarush and Valos Cor. She even gave us the addresses, which means we could be out there somewhere overlooking Atlantis, toasting with exotic beverages.!" The last bit was to see if Daniel was actually paying her any mind, but he continued to stare at the hologram.

"There's something else going on."

"What?" she asked, deflating a bit.

"Well, it shouldn't have worked." he said, finally looking toward her for a second before going back to his staring contest with the projection. "I mean, I didn't expect it to when I asked Elizabeth to try. But I thought there'd be at least some remnant. Some vague similarity between the words Castiana and Sahal and their Ancient language counterpart."

"She wouldn't lie." Vala pointed out.

"I don't know." he said slowly and looked back at her. "But explain this to me: how can this database translate in real time a language spoken eight thousand years after the Ancients abandoned Atlantis?"

Vala thought about that, trying hard to come up with some explanation, but came up empty. "That's a tough one." she responded and Daniel merely nodded as they both turned back to the hologram. Daniel asked the computer to show him the archive of Lantian citizens that fled to Earth and Vala dropped her head in frustration. Oh boy, they really were going to be at it forever. Rolling her eyes, Vala leant against the podium and slid down to sit on the floor as Daniel slowly went through the archive. After a while, she couldn't take it any longer and spoke up.

"Well, as exciting as it is to view the Atlantis family album..."

"I'm looking for someone in particular." Daniel answered patiently, still hard at work.

"I don't know of any ten-thousand-year-old Ancients." Vala mumbled almost to herself then paused as Daniel stopped on a particular figure. "I take that back. We know him!"

Quickly standing, Vala punched a button on the console and watched as the "teacher" emerged once more.

"Moros was the last High Councillor of Atlantis." the hologram stated in its monotone voice.

"Moros. Well, apart from the funny hat, he's the spitting image of Merlin, isn't he?"

"See, in Arthur's time, it was Myrrdin. You see how a word can change over the centuries?"

"I know where you're going." Vala said, proud of her deduction. "You think that Merlin or Myrrdin or whatever his name is, came back to Atlantis at some stage and hid these names here as clues for us to find."

"No." he negated, matter-of-fact.

"No." she repeated, deflating once more as the hologram spoke up again.

"The first human to set foot within the city after it was abandoned was Doctor Elizabeth Weir, leader of the current Atlantis expedition."

"Are you sure of that?" Vala asked, forgetting for a moment that she was speaking to a computer.

"Evidence of his presence would have bee recorded."

"Well, darling, guess that's it!" Vala said, slapping Daniel on the arm with a grin as she moved around him, "We'll have to leave here with exactly that which we came here for."

"No, I already knew Merlin was in the archive. I was looking for someone else?"

"Who?"

Daniel didn't answer her as he continued to stare at the hologram. "You chose your words very carefully when you said "the first human to set foot in the city." What about Ascended Being?"

Vala looked on in shock as the hologram hesitated but chose to remain silent.

"You're not really a hologram, are you?" Daniel said.

Vala's shock only grew as the "hologram" looked directly at Daniel and told him he had his answer before disappearing in a misty white light. Had they actually been conversing with an Ancient? Vala wanted to ask but found herself speechless. Nothing in her life could have prepared her for this.

"Um, so that was..." Vala trailed off, waving her arms around, not quite knowing how to finish.

"An Ancient, yeah." Daniel responded distractedly as he started looking around the room.

When Daniel didn't say another word, Vala went to the podium and started pressing buttons but nothing worked.

"I know you're still here." Daniel yelled to the room. "There's no point in hiding!"

"I don't think she's coming back, Daniel." Vala told him, giving up on the podium. "Especially if you shout at her."

"Oh, yes she is. She's come this far, she's going to finish what she started. You're not fooling anybody any more!" Daniel's voice grew louder with each word and Vala worried. But for once it wasn't aimed at her so she didn't say a word.

"Dr. Jackson." came Dr. Weir's voice from the doorway and they both looked over in surprise before going back to their fruitless search.

"Who are you talking to?"

"Well, I don't know what she's calling herself these days, but at one point in history her name was Morgan Le Fey."

"Morgan Le Fey was here."

Vala could hear the disbelief in Weir's voice and couldn't say she blamed her. Hell, if she hadn't seen it herself, she would probably think Daniel had gone completely wonko-er. They moved toward the podium as the doctor decided to have a look for herself. She brought up the hologram.

"That's her." Vala spoke, staring sceptically at the woman as she launched into her spiel.

"You know, drop the school teacher act." Daniel said in an annoyed tone.

"This is a computer-generated image of a Lantian woman who lived ten thousand years ago. I'm pretty familiar with the program. It hasn't changed." Weir still sounded doubtful but turned to look at Morgan. "Question: Whose image is your avatar based on and what is the purpose of you program?"

"I was created by Ganos Lal, in her image, for the purpose of assisting young minds." Morgan answered, never missing a beat.

"And what makes you think otherwise?" Weir asked them.

"For starters, she told us exactly what we needed to know." Vala filled the other woman in and she could tell the doctor was finally considering their story.

"Does this interface have the capability of playing back events from earlier in the session?" Daniel asked.

"Yes."

"Can you play back the last sentence she said to me before she disappeared?"

Weir activated the console and Morgan delivered the same line she'd said just before disappearing earlier.

"See, see?" Vala said happily. "Her demeanour completely changed, she looked directly at Daniel; it was really creepy."

"Well, I did warn you that she could be patronising." Weir said but Vala could tell she wanted to believe them.

"You said this device uses a lot of power." Daniel said, still not completely taking his eyes off of Morgan. "Is there any way of determining exactly how much we've used?"

Weir nodded and asked the tech in the control room to check the power usage. Vala joined Daniel in staring at Morgan until Weir told them they'd used no power. She turned a smug smile on the Ancient,

"Hey! Got you."

"I think I owe you an apology, Dr. Jackson." Weir said.

"There's no need, Dr. Weir." Morgan said, finally looking directly at them. "I'm the one who should apologise."

Vala looked to Daniel and Dr. Weir in wonder. They were actually standing in the same room with an ascended being. She didn't know about the others, but this was a first for her and it left her speechless.

"You're an Ancient." Dr. Weir finally voiced ad Vala could hear the reverence in the other woman's tone. Good, at least she wasn't the only one.

"Specifically, Morgan Le Fey." Daniel said knowingly. "I thought I recognised you from descriptions in the archive on Vagonbrei."

"That's, that's great!" Vala exclaimed, wondering why Daniel wasn't more excited. This is what they wanted, right? "So enough of the tiny tidbits of information. Not that we're ungrateful, but um, if you know what it is we're looking for and, as an ascended being, I have to assume you do..."

Vala stepped up on the platform where Morgan "stood", ignoring the glare being sent her way. She also ignored the niggling worry as to exactly what the woman could do to her with such a look.

"As Doctor Jackson knows, it is against our highest law to interfere." Morgan answered indignantly.

"But interfering a little bit is fine, is it?" Vala retorted, feeling equally exasperated.

"It might be a good idea to be a bit less confrontational." Weir warned.

"Well, she's here chatting with us." Vala argued, annoyed as Daniel pulled her from the platform. "That's interference, isn't it?"

Daniel didn't answer her, but spoke to Morgan, instead. Vala watched on, fascinated by the story Morgan told. She already knew some of it but it was incredible to hear it from the source. From someone who'd actually lived it. Vala forced herself to listen to what was being said rather than who was saying it and when Morgan got to the part about being sent to stop Merlin, she had to break in.

"Merlin retained much of the knowledge he had gained while he was ascended, as well as many powers. Knowledge and power he used to create a weapon capable of wiping Ascended Beings from existence."

"So you're saying _he_ cheated." Vala was desperately trying to wrap her mind around all of this but it was all so convoluted. For once, she preferred the world of the Goa'uld. They were far less complicated.

"In a manner of speaking. For that brief time in your history, he was the most powerful being on your planet. He created a small enclave of noblemen with whom he entrusted his secret."

"Arthur and Camelot." Weir said in awe and Vala was happy that she actually got that reference as Morgan answered in the affirmative.

"So you're telling us that, after doing everything in your power to oppose Merlin, all of a sudden you agree with him?" Daniel asked and Vala looked slowly away from him to Morgan as he continued. "because if you don't, you're deliberately misleading us."

Vala waited in silence for the answer, as did the other two humans in the room.

"I have no reason to deceive you."

"No, of course not." Vala responded sarcastically. "So, what were you doing when you were pretending to be a hologram?"

"The learning program I created many years before I left Atlantis presented itself as a means of helping you."

"If you'd fallen for it, you'd have your answers and be on your way, thinking you came up with it yourself." Weir said knowingly.

"That was my intention." Morgan said with a nod and Vala could only let out a sheepish 'Oh' in response.

"I believe you. I do. I mean, I understand the fine line you have to walk. I realise the risk you're taking just showing yourself." Vala remained silent as Daniel spoke to Morgan, wondering why he was letting this go so easily. Then all of a sudden his face changed and his voice became more fervent as he let her know he was getting tired of hidden clues and cryptic messages. As he became even more impassioned, Vala tried not to flinch when he said he'd be dead by the end of this. She tried to tell herself it was only because she knew she would be dead, also, but didn't quite believe it. The very idea of Daniel dying filled her with dread. She tried to shake off the feeling as Daniel finally wound down and Morgan answered.

"If we interfere, we are no better than the Ori."

"I understand that is at the very core of what you are, of what you believe, but I'm talking about survival here. If you really are trying to help, then help yourself."

Vala finally ripped her gaze from Daniel to look at Morgan. She could tell the Ancient was considering this and it made hope bubble in her chest. That hope fizzled out as Morgan spoke one more.

"You speak from the heart, Doctor Jackson. That is what I remember most from your brief time among us. I know you wouldn't recall, those memories were stripped from you when you were sent back."

"That's what you're afraid of." Daniel said slowly. "Doing the right thing and being punished for it."

"I've already gone too far."

"But you can't be the only one to realise the Ori have changed things! There must be others that-that see that the time to join the fight is now!"

When Morgan still didn't respond, Daniel continued in a softer, pleading tone.

"I know what we're asking you to do. You're afraid the others will step in and stop you from helping us. But maybe, maybe they just need someone to cross that imaginary line instead of just walking it. There must be others among you just waiting to follow your example."

"Not enough." Morgan said sadly and Vala could see the struggle in her eyes.

"But you have been allowed to go this far." Weir put in.

"Trust that you have your answer." Morgan insisted.

"At least tell us which one of the planets to go to." Vala entreated, trying her best not to sound confrontational.

"Please." Daniel added.

Vala could see that Morgan was considering their pleas as she looked between them. She was a little disconcerted as the Ancient's gaze landed on her and seemed to bore in but Vala brushed it of when Morgan looked away, leaning forward. Vala sighed in relief.

"Merlin's weapon is not-"

Vala's relief was short-lived, though, as a white light engulfed Morgan and she suddenly disappeared.

"What happened?" Weir asked.

"Just what she know would happen. They stopped her. We won't see her again."

"Are they going to punish her?" Vala cringed at the thought. She'd been on the receiving end of enough unwarranted punishments to know what it was like. She just hoped the Ancients were more humane in how they disciplined their own, but she very much doubted it.

"I don't know." Daniel answered after a moment.

"I think I understand why you came back, Daniel." Vala said sadly, trying to lighten the mood but knowing she'd failed. "I wouldn't have liked their company either."

Nobody said anything for a good, long while. Finally the silence was broken by a technician over the comm telling them the _Odyssey_ had completed its mission and was on its way back.

"I have to go meet them." Weir said quietly. "Would you care to join me?"

When Daniel remained where he was, Vala stepped in. "I'll be with you in a moment."

Weir nodded in understanding and left the two of them alone.

"I'm going to meet up with the team." she said with a smile. "Why don't you come, too? Maybe they'll have some good news."

"I think...I need to be alone for a little while." he responded, taking a heavy seat on the platform.

"All right." Vala nodded and knelt down, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I'll be around if you want to talk."

Daniel's only response was to smile and Vala returned it. She left the room with a sigh, wondering if he would actually seek her out and why it seemed so important to her that he did.

()()()()

A good while later, Vala once again found herself on the balcony overlooking the city. She'd met up with the rest of the team after they got back and they'd filled her in on exactly what had happened. The relief that flooded her when she found out they'd made the connection was over-shadowed by the news of them blowing up the Ori ship. She knew it was irrational but couldn't help wondering if Tomin and Adria had been aboard that vessel. She understood that she couldn't have saved them, no matter what she said, but that didn't keep her heart from hoping. Maybe one day...

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the balcony door opening and she didn't have to look back to know who it was.

"Daniel." she said, eyes never leaving the cityscape before her.

"Vala." His tone sounded just as despondent as it had when she'd left him in the holoroom as he made his way to stand beside her. The idea that Daniel's natural optimism could be brought down by the events of the day depressed her even more and she decided it was her job to be the positive voice.

"She did what she believed was right, Daniel." Vala finally looked at him. "How badly can she be punished for that?"

"I don't know." he responded, hardly sparing her a glance.

"Maybe she'll just get a slap on the wrist." Vala put on the most cheerful mask she could muster but he still refused to look at her. "Or be forced to write "I will not interfere in the affairs of humans again" ten thousand times."

"Yeah, I doubt that."

She could see that he'd tried to smile at her joke but failed and she sighed, giving up her own façade.

"She said you had your answer. We found out the two addresses we came here for. Can you at least...smile about that?" She smiled at him as if her own would force one from him but it didn't work.

"I suppose. But we did find out something else, too." He finally looked at her and Vala refused to look away.

"What?"

"They're not going to help us." he told her and the hopelessness she saw in his eyes almost broke her. She was glad when he looked away this time. "We're in this alone."

Vala closed her eyes and dipped her head at his tone. Neither spoke for a moment when Vala decided to remind him of what he'd told her, of why she was there.

"No, Daniel, we're not alone." She waited for him to look directly at her before continuing. "We have each other."

They stared at one another for a few moments and Daniel's face finally broke into a small smile. She responded with one of her own before going back to looking out on the city, neither saying another word.


	16. Chapter 15: Insiders

**Chapter 15: Insiders**

After all these weeks on Earth, Vala was getting used to being bored. Normally she would counter it by annoying Daniel but he wasn't here. He'd gone off to some place called England to do more research and hadn't taken her with him. The rat. She'd tried amusing herself with the rest of SG-1 but it wasn't the same. Samantha would actually answer her questions, usually in great detail. Teal'c never said a word, just continued to look serene. And Cameron, contrary to his uncanny resemblance to Daniel, had the patience of a Mectillion sea viper during a feeding frenzy.

Vala found herself hating briefings more and more. As she continued to half-listen to the others go on about their inability to find Merlin's weapon, she couldn't help wishing Daniel were here. Ever since her time as Qetesh, she hadn't allowed herself to become close enough to anyone to actually miss them when they weren't around. Now she couldn't seem to help herself. Dammit, what was Daniel doing to her? Just as she had the thought, she heard Landry mention the archaeologist.

"You heard from Daniel?" she asked, spinning around to face the others. At Cameron's glare, she shrugged and smiled, hoping to hide her curiosity behind her usual glibness. Before the general could tell them anything beyond Daniel not being able to find anything either, a voice came over the intercom telling him he was needed. Vala stood with the others as they made their way into the control room. She hoped this wasn't a simple 'gate malfunction. She could really use some excitement right now.

"What is it, Chief?" Landry asked.

"We just received word from NORAD, sir. An Al'kesh bomber just entered Earth's atmosphere about four minutes ago. Bearing indicates Cheyenne Mountain."

Yup, definitely more exciting than a 'gate malfunction, she thought as the technician continued to converse with the Tau'ri pilot. She listened intently as the team postulated on who it could be and was only a little surprised when the general gave the order to shoot the vessel down. Everyone waited in tense silence for word and Vala could actually feel the relief that flooded the room when the pilot told them he'd hit the target.

"I've got projected coordinates." the tech said.

"We're on it." Mitchell replied and walked out of the room. Vala smiled and followed. She was finally going to see what Earth looked like outside this bloody mountain. This day had just gotten a lot better.

()()()()

As they drove the short distance to the crash site, Vala couldn't take her eyes off of the terrain. She'd never been one to get overly enthused about nature but she couldn't help the contentment that settled over her now. It was not an emotion she was used to and that made her question it. Why should this planet be any different than the hundreds she'd visited before? Why should this rock give her hope for the one thing she'd never had: a home. She 'd tried to brush off these ridiculous musings as Cameron stopped the vehicle and they all got out but couldn't keep herself from marvelling in the wonders before her. Her feeling of contentment stayed with her as she followed the team over to another vehicle but suddenly dissipated when she saw who sat in the back of it. The shudder that passed through her at hearing his voice was all too familiar and she had to force herself not to allow her loathing to show on her face. That was the voice of her nightmares, one she'd hoped to never hear again.

()()()()

Vala followed SG-1 into the interrogation room holding Ba'al. She really didn't want to be there but felt she had little choice. If she was going to prove herself to these people, she knew she was going to have to do things she detested. Like facing her past. She'd been running away from it for so long, she wasn't sure she could stop but she wanted to try.

Vala tried to avoid looking at Ba'al, but her eyes drifted his way of their own accord. She was proud of herself when she didn't bat an eye at his calling her Qetesh but the smug grin on his face made her sick. It was a familiar expression, one she wished she could forget. Instead, she looked away, not giving him the satisfaction of seeing her squirm.

"She goes by Vala now." Samantha told him.

"Always did, really." Vala responded with a bored sounding sigh then sent Samantha a grateful smile. She wasn't used to having someone stick up for her and it felt nice.

"We've been authorised to give you the time of day, so make it quick and make it good." Mitchell said coldly, thankfully taking the Goa'uld's focus off of her.

"Of course. I understand your reluctance to trust me, so I'll be succinct. It's the clones. They want me dead."

"That would make all of us." Teal'c answered and Vala couldn't help but agree.

"Dead, huh?" Mitchell put in sarcastically. "What'd you do? Short sheet the bed? Cheat at cards?"

"You must understand that what I did was out of necessity. You were the ones who invited the Ori into this galaxy. I was merely trying to preserve a safe haven for myself and a few...friends."

"You mean slaves." Teal'c spat out.

Vala leant forward and studied Ba'al closely. Something wasn't sitting right here.

"So you stole a few Stargates, tried to set up you own network. Yadda, yadda, yadda. We were there, remember?"

"Luckily, I wasn't." Ba'al replied and Vala wanted to ask, 'luckily for who?' but remained silent to listen. "I had to hear about your heroics third hand. I also had to hear about how you thwarted my attempts to gain control of the Jaffa High Council."

"But none of this explains why the clones would turn on you." Carter queried.

"That's probably because there's a little more to his plan than he's letting on." Vala leant in close, never letting her eyes leave Ba'al's face.

"Ah. Perceptive, as usual." the snake answered with a leer.

Ignoring him, Vala knelt next to Samantha and spoke in a low voice. "Didn't Daniel tell me something about a very powerful weapon in the hands of the Jaffa on Dakara?"

"It's not a weapon, technically. It was a device that was originally used by the Ancients to seed all life in this galaxy, but we did adapt it to destroy the Replicators."

"Using my simultaneous dialling program, I might add." Ba'al interrupted, leaning forward, but Vala ignored him again.

"Am I correct in assuming that this device could be adapted to kill organic life as well?" she asked Samantha. Vala could see they were on the same page when the other woman confirmed her suspicions. She nodded and stood. "Now it's starting to make sense."

"It is?" Mitchell asked.

"Well, you must remember that I have intimate knowledge of just how depraved the Goa'uld can be." Vala returned, sharing a knowing look with Ba'al.

"You are suggesting that Ba'al attempted to gain control of the High Council in order to gain access to the Ancient device." Teal'c surmised.

"With the purpose of wiping out all life in the galaxy, except his own little corner, of course."

"That was Anubis' plan." Mitchell said, catching on.

"I never said it as original." the Goa'uld laughed condescendingly. "But if I had succeeded, the Ori would have lost interest and been on their merry way."

"You were going to save the galaxy by destroying pretty much everyone in it?" Samantha asked, not really sounding surprised.

"But your clones figured out you weren't bringing them along, didn't they?" Mitchell concluded.

"They served their purpose." Ba'al responded snidely.

"Well, they are your clones."

"What I don't understand is, after this particular revelation, you thought SG-1 would want to help you."

"Because I can help you." he responded with his ever-present smirk.

"With what?" Teal'c asked contemptuously.

"Your search for Merlin's weapon, of course." Silence fell over the room for a few moments before Ba'al continued. "Anubis told me of the weapon, and of its power. He dedicated considerable effort to finding it during his time in our place of existence, but he never succeeded.

"And you have the address?" Samantha asked sceptically and Vala sat warily on the table.

"Actually, you have the address. It's among those Colonel O'Neill obtained during his encounter with the Ancient Repository of Knowledge, on the planet you call P3R-272."

"There are thousands of address on that list." Teal'c countered.

"Exactly why you'll never find it on your own." Ba'al said smugly. "I, however, have information that will allow you to narrow down your chances considerably. All I ask in return is that you eliminate the clones."

"And we do that exactly how?" Mitchell asked.

"It should be easy enough to track them down. I implanted a locator chip in each one when I created them."

"That's funny because we detected a locator chip in you." Sam said.

"I had to implant one in myself in order to gain their trust. You can use the tracking system on board my Al'kesh. They'll never see it coming."

"Well, that is a truly incredible story, in every sense of the word." Mitchell said.

"I should also mention that every one of my clones knows about Merlin's weapon, and if any one of them, at any point, were captured by the Priors, and were it to somehow...slip out...that the SGC computer contains the location of the weapon deadly to the Ori..."

"The Priors would stop at nothing to have it within their grasp." Teal'c interrupted, voicing exactly what they were all thinking.

"It is, of course, your decision. I leave it in you very "capable" hands." With that, Ba'al crossed his arms, leant back and finally stopped talking. They all remained where they were for a moment before Teal'c took the lead and left. Standing slowly, Vala followed him out. Her only thought was that this was going to turn out badly.

()()()()

They were going after the clones. As if one wasn't enough, she was going to have to face multiple versions of the one Goa'uld she detested almost as much as Qetesh. But she knew she had no other choice. She'd told General Landry she knew this planet and the team was counting on her. If that meant ignoring the memories that were sure to pop up, so be it. She'd done it before, she'd do it again.

"You ready?"

Vala looked up quickly and spotted Samantha standing over her. She pasted on her most winning smile, not realising the other woman had been studying her for the last ten minutes, and stood.

"All set." Vala said, adjusting her vest and walking out of the dressing area. She'd get through this and prove to SG-1 that she could be useful.

()()()()

After removing her gear, Vala headed for the briefing room where she was supposed to meet up with the others. She knew she was grinning but couldn't help it. She'd helped SG-1 capture three Ba'al clones and she was proud of herself. It wasn't an emotion she was entirely used to and she wanted to savour it. She found herself humming as she strode into the briefing room and smiled at Samantha, Mitchell and Teal'c.

"Hello, what are you watching?" she asked as she took a look at the screens they all seemed to be fixated on.

"Ba'al." Mitchell answered, barely sparing her a glance.

Vala's steps faltered for a moment but she pasted on a smile, glad no one was looking at her, and made her way to sit on the table between Mitchell and Teal'c.

"Wow, that's a lot of Ba'al's." she said in awe, completely missing Mitchell's glare and Samantha's amused chuckle.

"Indeed." Teal'c answered gravely.

Before anyone could say another word, they heard General Landry and Agent Barrett coming toward them.

"What do you got?" Landry asked without preamble.

Vala listened to the conversation with half an ear, still in awe over the sight before her. Her mind was going through all the ways this could be...therapeutic for her in any other set of circumstances. But she had a feeling the SGC wouldn't appreciate her unique approach to torture, especially given the way she'd acquired it. The Goa'uld were depraved, yes, but in the end they got the job done. She could just see herself doing to Ba'al all of the horrible things he'd done to her.

Coming out of her reverie, she heard Landry tell them that they would be conducting the interrogations and Vala couldn't keep the calculating smile from her face. She made sure the others didn't see it, though. She knew she couldn't get away with what she _wanted_ to do Ba'al, but maybe there was another way.

()()()()

Taking a deep breath, Vala motioned the guard to open the door. She plastered on her best flirty smile, trying not to show just how nervous she actually was, and motioned for the guard in the room to leave. It was time to get down to business.

"So...having a tough day, are we?" she asked as she glanced at the security camera, hoping no one was paying her too much mind at the moment.

"What do you want, Qetesh?" Ba'al asked without preamble.

"Is that any way to greet an old friend?" she asked, ignoring the shudder that passed through her as he once again called her by that name. No matter how many times she heard it, she could never, _would never_ get used to it.

"Is that what we were?"

"I'll admit, we had our differences."

"You attacked my fleet at Selenis, crippled my flagships and killed 10,000 of my best Jaffa."

"So I did." She couldn't keep the grimace from her face as she remembered that day. All those Jaffa...She mentally shook her head to dislodge the memory, trying again to focus on the task at hand. "But it was nothing personal. Anyway, that's all in the past, and I'm here to talk about our future."

"Our future?" he asked in suspicion.

"You have to admit there's always been something between us." she drawled as she slowly approached him, swaying her hips just right. "Even when we wanted to kill each other, there was always a certain..." Contempt, loathing, queasiness..."spark." She bit down on her lip, hoping he'd take her hesitation as a flirt rather than disgust.

"Perhaps, but you've made your allegiance clear."

"Have I?" She looked back toward the camera nervously, praying that whomever was watching this knew it was all just a game. "Or have I just been waiting for the right opportunity?"

"What sort of opportunity?" Ba'al asked, studying her with much more interest now.

"You know how to find the address. I have access to the database."

"You would betray your Tau'ri friends?"

"Friends...come and go. Besides, what use are they going to be to me on their knees before the armies of the Ori?" Ba'al looked like he might actually be starting to believe her so she delved into the next part of her lie. "You tell me what you know. I'll find the location of Merlin's weapon. We'll make our escape. And then be free to share in the pleasure of each other's company."

"Excellent plan." he told her and she hummed in agreement. "but why wait? Merlin's weapon isn't going anywhere. We have nothing but time."

Okay, not what she'd planned, she thought as she watched him push his tray of food off the table. He grabbed her arm and spun her against the now clear table.

"What? Here? On this rather...uncomfortable table?" She hoped he couldn't see her fear as he caressed her cheek. She forced herself not to cringe at the contact, instead keeping the smile in place.

"Why not?" he asked.

"Well," she tried to think of something fast. No way was she having sex with him, no matter how vital the information. "The security cameras for starters. There is no way they'd trust me after seeing something like this."

"Tell them it was part of your interrogation technique."

Okay, time to end this charade. "Oh, come on, be serious." She shoved his hand away but when he tried to put it back, she slapped him and he grabbed her by the throat.

"I _am_ being serious. Aren't you?" He stroked a finger down her cheek and this time she didn't even try to hide her involuntary cringe. "Your time amongst the Tau'ri is making you soft. You used to be a much better liar."

Vala shook her head, trying to get the feel of him off her and looked to the camera in defeat. After a moment, she left the room, wishing she'd gone with her earlier thoughts to torture Ba'al. At least that would have given her some small satisfaction.

()()()()

Feeling defeated and a little depressed, Vala walked into the briefing room where Mitchell and Teal'c were, looking equally discouraged. Plopping into a chair next to Teal'c, Vala placed her head in her hands with a sigh. First Daniel, now Ba'al...Was she losing her seductiveness or was it them? She seemed to be able to make most of the men, and some of the women, on this base blush when she winked at them. So what made these two immune to her coercion? Pushing away thoughts of Daniel, mostly because she was beginning to wonder about the rumours she'd heard of him and someone called Jack, she focussed her attention on Ba'al. She should have known that her tricks wouldn't work on the Goa'uld but his line about her recent inability to lie well stung her ego. She'd always prided herself on that strength. Maybe these people _were_ making her soft but, surprisingly, she couldn't find it in herself to regret it. The thought confused her so she pushed it aside. She'd really wanted to help, to prove that she could be an asset. All she'd done was give them a reason to doubt her loyalty. Angry at the turn her thoughts were taking, Vala pasted on a smile and looked up at Teal'c.

"Muscles, wanna put your strength to the test?" At his raised eyebrow, Vala's grin widened and she placed her arm on the table, hand in the air and waited. After a moment, he did the same and she grasped his hand. She tried with all of her strength to pull his arm down, even cheated by using two hands, but noting. She continued, though, because the physicality felt good after being shot down. Even when the general entered, she didn't stop right away.

"Somebody, give me some good news." Landry barked.

"Sorry, sir." Mitchell said. "I still don't have anything useful."

"I didn't even make it to first base." Vala put in, rubbing the soreness out of her arm and hoping that was the right use of the idiom she'd heard Mitchell use.

"Where's Colonel Carter?"

"She was just finishing up last time I saw, but I don't think she has anything to report either."

"We're running out of time!" Landry said angrily, making Vala sit up straight. "The NID wants the prisoners, and the President's not going to be able to hold them back forever."

"Or they're not going to wait." Mitchell said slowly, turning toward the monitors.

"What are you talking about?" Landry asked, doing the same. Vala followed their motion and saw what he meant seconds before he spoke again.

"Agent Barrett. He's talking to one of the Ba'al's."

Vala watched on as Ba'al punched Barrett then stole his gun. Oh, this is not good, she thought when Ba'al shot Barrett and headed toward the door.

"We're losing containment." Mitchell stated as Ba'al One broke another clone out of his cell and handed him a gun.

Vala couldn't help the smile of anticipation that lit her face at the idea of action while General Landry put the base into lockdown. Suddenly the monitors all turned to static.

"And there goes the feed. We're blind." Mitchell said then headed out. Vala followed Mitchell and Teal'c, ready to get her hands on Ba'al.

()()()()

Following Mitchell through the corridors, Vala couldn't help thinking this was a bad plan. If even one of the clones realised they were trying to take them down with symbiote poisoning, they were screwed. And that meant that Samantha would more than likely be killed, if she hadn't already. Mitchell's voice thankfully interrupted her train of thought.

"Remember, we can't afford to be seen until Dr. Lee gives is the signal."

"Got it."

"No improvising this time." he warned. "Stick to the plan."

"Despite the fact that my improvisation has been extremely useful in the past." she said in exasperation, even though she had no intention of going against orders this time. Not with what was at stake.

"That's your entry point." Mitchell said, pointing to a door while continuing on his way.

Without another word, Vala entered the access shaft, intent on not screwing up. Exiting the shaft, she led her team of SFs through the corridor, listening for any suspicious sounds. They rounded a corner and Vala signalled the all clear. Suddenly, though, she heard footsteps and motioned her team to take cover before doing so herself. Looking out carefully, she spotted three clones making their way toward them and pressed her radio.

"I don't mean to rush you boys, but we're about to be discovered here." She hoped her sense of urgency filtered through the radio. Before anyone could respond, though, one of the clones spoke up.

"We know you're back there."

"So much for the plan." Vala said and peeked out to zat a clone. She'd always thought it best to be on the offensive in any battle. Pulling back, she heard the zat and gun-fire being sent their way and watched as one of the SFs stood to shoot only to be hit himself. Her team continued to shoot until all of the clones were down then moved out. Rounding a corner, they met up with Teal'c.

"We have a man down." she told him. "Are you all right?"

"We are uninjured." he responded.

"And Mitchell?" she asked, her fear increasing when the Jaffa didn't immediately answer. Suddenly a barrage of fire sounded, forcing them to take cover once more. Vala kept shooting, knowing they were trapped and hoping Mitchell was fine. She couldn't believe the relief that washed over her when she caught sight of him and Samantha coming down a side corridor but didn't allow it to distract her from her task. The relief grew greater when she saw the symbiote poison being released from the vents but it was short-lived as Sam ran straight at the room the clones had taken cover in. Mitchell and Teal'c followed Sam but Vala stayed where she was. She had a bad feeling she knew what was about to happen and didn't feel the need to watch. When Mitchell lowered his weapon, Vala knew she was correct. Ba'al and his clones had somehow escaped and they'd been unable to stop them.

()()()()

After confronting Agent Barrett and leaving the interrogation room with Landry and Teal'c, Vala went off to her own quarters. She was suddenly feeling very alone and wished Daniel was here. At least then she'd have someone to talk to. Or, at the very least, someone to distract her from the events of the day. Seeing Ba'al again had been bad enough, and allowing him to put his hands on her...Vala shuddered at the memories that stirred up and pushed them away. She'd successfully hidden her unease from the rest of the team but knew if Daniel had been here, her façade would not have been so effective. He would have seen right through her and what scared her was that she would have _let_ him. It was becoming increasingly obvious, even to her, _why_ she seemed to be so dependent on Daniel's presence, no matter how much she wanted to deny it. Still, she couldn't put a word to it yet. Maybe it would pass.

Clutching the locket she wore around her neck, she opened it and looked inside. Then again, maybe it wouldn't.


	17. Chapter 16: Uninvited

This took a wee bit longer than I'd anticipated, but here's a shiny new chapter for you lovelies. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 16: Uninvited**

Vala hummed softly in distaste as she rummaged through her limited wardrobe, wondering just what to pack. It shouldn't be this hard considering all she really owned was jeans, t-shirts and BDUs. That usually wasn't an issue because she spent most of her time either on base or off-world. Not much call for an extensive wardrobe these days. But she and the rest of SG-1 had been ordered by Landry to take part in a week-long "holiday". It was supposed to help them relax and bond as a team. While Vala was usually for relaxation, she wasn't too sure about this. She'd done research concerning this region of Earth they were to visit and it did not sound like her ideal location. In fact, it sounded surprisingly like many of the planets she'd visited, unwillingly. Not her idea of fun. And to top it all off, Daniel was still in England. She still wasn't overly comfortable with the rest of the team yet. Samantha seemed to have accepted her presence easily enough and Teal'c...well, he was Jaffa so she couldn't exactly tell where she stood with him. But Mitchell still distrusted her and Landry always seemed annoyed with her over something. How was she supposed to relax and bond with these people if she wasn't sure how to act around them? Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted when a knock sounded at her door.

"Come in." she called and smiled when Sam poked her head in. "Samantha, wonderful timing. Maybe you can tell me what is appropriate attire for our little excursion."

"That's kinda what I came here about." Sam smiled sheepishly as she stepped into the room. "SG-3 has run into some trouble off-world and Teal'c went to see what's going on. I can't leave until Reynolds gets back to take over so we're stuck. Sorry."

"Oh, that's all right." Vala said, feeling more relief than she knew she should. "I hope it's nothing too terrible."

"Probably not." Sam assured her. "I'll let you know when we're ready to go."

With a final nod, Sam left and Vala sat on the edge of the bed. She sighed, feeling as if she'd just been given a reprieve, at least for a few hours.

()()()()

Vala listened carefully as Colonel Reynolds and Teal'c described the attacks that occurred on P9-something or other. Samantha was arguing that this could be another type of Ori attack but Vala was more interested in this creature. If it really was a rare species...

"Okay. Well, if this is some new Ori threat, chances are the Priors will show up to take responsibility." Sam said.

"On the other hand, if it's not and it's just some vicious creature hell-bent in eating the whole village, shouldn't we use our superior technology to help track it down?" Vala asked, trying to sound casual but knowing she'd failed miserably if the look Sam was giving her was any indication. "You think I don't really care about the plight of some innocent people I've never met on some planet somewhere."

"I'm sorry. But, uh, no."

"It just so happens I have vast experience hunting rare deadly creatures of all kinds."

"Ah, let me guess: the rarer they are..."

"Please. I am here to be helpful." Vala said, neither confirming nor denying Sam's obvious accusation. "If you don't think these boys can use my expertise, that's fine. I'll just stay here, and we can start on that quality time General Landry wanted us to spend together. I've actually come up with a list of suggestions." Vala knew she had Sam before she even finished her sentence.

"Teal'c, you and Vala head to 333 with SGs 3 and 25. See if you can figure out what we're dealing with without being detected by the locals."

"Good plan, boss!" Vala slapped Teal'c's arm in excitement as Sam continued.

"Vala's expertise notwithstanding, I want everyone to exercise caution. We should find out whether this is Prior-related or not."

"Is General Landry not expecting us at his cabin?" Teal'c asked and Vala wrinkled her nose in annoyance. Killjoy.

"I'll let him know we're going to be delayed a little bit." Sam answered.

"Oh, I'm sure Colonel Mitchell will be very pleased to know he's got more special alone time with the General." Vala said cheekily as Sam and Colonel Reynolds stood to leave. She wasn't even offended when Teal'c called out to the other woman in seeming desperation. For a Jaffa, at least. "Hey, if this _is_ a rare and deadly creature, we have to try and catch it alive. Okay?"

"That is not our mission." Teal'c said as she stood and she did the same a little more slowly.

"Do you have any idea what this could be worth on the open market?"

"I do not."

"Okay, okay, wait." Vala rushed to catch Teal'c before he could get away. "I propose a fifty-fifty split. I think it's only fair. I'm the one with all the contacts to unload something like this. Anything less than that would just be, well, plain wrong."

She smiled when he opened his mouth to speak but he remained silent and walked away.

"Okay, name your price. Well, say something. It's called negotiating!"

Vala followed him doggedly down the hall, trying to convince him to join forces but to no avail. If she wanted to take this thing alive, she was going to have to do it on her own.

()()()()

Vala quickly followed Teal'c and Colonel Reynolds through the woods. This planet was eerily quiet and she felt a sense of foreboding wash over her. Something was definitely off. When she passed Teal'c, she noticed Reynolds had stopped to study something on the ground and she knelt beside him to gain a closer look. She didn't recognise the track and that meant whatever it was would be valuable. But that same sense of trepidation she'd felt from the moment they'd stepped through the 'gate kept her from getting excited.

"Recognise the tracks?" Reynolds asked to which she shook her head.

"I do not." Teal'c informed them.

"What we need to do first is dig a big pit." she told them, standing and moving off to a clearing. She smiled up at the other soldiers standing there. "This looks like a very good spot. Why don't you boys get started?" At their annoyed looks, Vala turned back to Reynolds. "What? Don't tell me you didn't brink shovels." So much for taking it alive. Her thoughts were cut off when they heard growling and gun-fire, then a voice coming over the radio requesting help.

Without a word, everyone turned toward the sounds and came across members of SG-25, all laying wounded. Vala took a quick look around and sighed in relief that they all seemed to still be alive. All thoughts of taking the creature alive fled her as she took in the carnage. What could do something like this? She'd seen a lot of animal attacks in her time but this...Kneeling with Reynolds beside the leader of SG-25, Vala pushed the thoughts away when she realised she recognised the man. She'd only spoken to him a few days ago. What was his name?

"It came out of nowhere." he said in a pained voice. "Never seen anything like it."

Vala shared a worried look with Reynolds before glancing around. Only then did she realise Teal'c wasn't with them. She wasn't used to being worried over others' well-being so she turned her attention back to the injured man. Suddenly she remembered his name.

"Peter." she said with a gentle smile. "That's your name, isn't it?" He nodded so she continued. "Everything is going to be all right. I'm going back to the 'gate for help."

"I don't think that's such a good idea." Reynolds told her.

"Nonsense. We need a med team and reinforcements now. I'll be fine." She tapped her P-90 with more assurance than she felt then took off before he could say another word.

She ran quickly through the woods, easily remembering the way to the 'gate. Coming to the clearing, she ran straight for the DHD and started dialling when she heard a very distinctive growl behind her. She stopped dialling and turned slowly toward the sound watching for any sign of the creature.

"Okay, you want dessert?" she said, slowly raising her P-90. "Come and get it." Hearing a noise from the bushes, she aimed and was ready to fire when Teal'c emerged. The relief at seeing the large Jaffa was huge so she brushed it off for the moment. "Ah, you could have warned me. I nearly shot you!"

"Then you should not have run off by yourself." he said, coming to stand in front of her.

"I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I was trying to get help."

"They why are you not dialling the 'gate?" he asked as he moved toward the DHD.

"Because I thought I heard something growling." She looked around once more, keeping her weapon ready just in case.

"I hear nothing."

"That's probably because you scared it away. That's good. Now we can-" Her words were cut off when she heard another growl and she started shooting immediately. She didn't even realise what Teal'c was doing until he ran into her and they fell to the ground. The grenade exploded and the growling stopped. All that was left was the sound of smouldering flesh. Suddenly realising he hadn't moved from his position on top of her, she tried to brush the tension away the only way she knew how.

"Well, I'm flattered, but I don't think we have time for this."

"Are you injured?" he asked.

"No, I'm fine." She smiled at the concern she heard in his voice. He helped her to stand and she thanked him as they made their way toward the creature. She knelt beside it while Teal'c poked it with his gun, apparently trying to make certain it was dead.

"So much for taking it alive." she said, yet couldn't quite dredge up the disappointment over its demise. "Shame, too. I've never seen anything like this before."

They continued to study the carcass for a few more moments before standing.

"Well, I think it's time to get our boys back home."

"Indeed." he answered with a nod as they headed off to do just that.

()()()()

Settling herself beside the infirmary bed, Vala raised the healing device over Peter's damaged body. He'd lost consciousness before coming through the 'gate which was likely for the best. His injuries were extensive, it was taking all of her energy to heal him. Of course, that could be from having already healed the rest of his team but she had a bad feeling it had more to do with knowing him. She'd never had this trouble before. She'd never really gotten to know anyone before, never stuck around long enough for it to be an issue. To her, people were a transient part of life. She didn't really _know _Peter, she'd only spoken to him a handful of times. But he'd been nice to her, hadn't judged her, and that in itself was a shock. Brushing her thoughts aside, Vala concentrated on healing him. She smiled in relief when he opened his eyes.

"Feeling better?" she asked.

"Much. What happened?"

"The creature that attacked you is dead."

"How is my team?"

"Fine. Dr. Lam and I were able to take care of all of the injuries." she held up the healing device as proof.

"Thank you."

"Not a problem..." Silence fell over them and Vala shifted uneasily in her seat. "Well, I've got to go see about some things. I'll check on you later."

They shared a smile as Vala stood and left. She felt a warmth fill her at his genuine gratitude. It was the same feeling she'd had when she'd healed Azdak and it felt good. Maybe getting close to people wasn't such a bad thing, after all.

()()()()

The next day, Vala made sure to check up on Peter and the rest of the soldiers before going to find Samantha. She was relieved that they were all doing well and proud of herself that she'd had a hand in their recovery. In fact, she was feeling good about a lot of things. She'd actually managed to get a good night's sleep, something she'd had trouble with for as long as she could remember. Now she was ready to embark on this impromptu vacation, feeling less anxious than she had since hearing about it. She wanted to see if she could be around them without Daniel or work as a buffer. She was actually kind of looking forward to it. She just wasn't ready for the rest of them to know this. That's why she tried to past on a bored tone as she entered General Landry's office where Samantha was sitting, looking over reports.

"So, you'll be pleased to know that all four members of SG-25 are going to be fine." Vala said as she strolled nonchalantly into the room. "Thanks in part to my handiwork with a Goa'uld healing device."

"I'm sure Dr. Lam appreciates the help." Sam answered with a smile.

Vala took in the praise but said nothing, choosing instead to change the subject as she made her way around the desk to perch over Landry's chair.

"I see you haven't gotten over your phobia of General Landry's chair." Vala grinned cheekily as she taunted the other woman.

"What are you doing?"

"I think it's about time a woman sat here." she said as she finally settled into the plush leather.

"Actually, Doctor Elizabeth Weir sat there all the time when she ran the SGC." Sam told her.

"She did? Hmm." Vala responded, unaffected as she leant back to swing her legs onto the desk. "Good for her."

"Ah ha ha ha!" Samantha yelled out, gesturing for her to remove her legs. Vala did so, albeit reluctantly.

"So, now that the deadly creature of P3 whatever's been dealt with, when do we go?"

"I just got a call from the Silver Creek Sheriff's department. Apparently there was a bad storm up there last night, and the road leading up to the area where the cabin is was washed out and won't be reopened until tomorrow."

"Ohhh...how unfortunate." Vala said, trying to hide her disappointment.

"I'm sure Colonel Mitchell agrees." Sam said with a smile.

"I'm sure the boys are having the time of their lives, getting up to all sorts of mischief."

"Oh yeah, I can just imagine."

Vala fiddled with the various objects on Landry's desk as Samantha went back to her report. When the silence continued for another five minutes, she sighed and stood, rolling her eyes when the other woman didn't even glance up.

"I'm starving." she said, hoping for a reaction. Nothing. "I'm going to the commissary for something to eat. Care to join me?"

"Huh?" Sam said, finally looking up. "Oh, uh, no thanks. I want to finish reading this. You go ahead."

Vala sighed again as Samantha looked back to her report. So much for a friendly overture.

()()()()

Vala watched on as Samantha raked in her chips, tossing her head back in exaggerated indignation as she mentally commended the colonel on her bluff. She hadn't known Samantha capable of such slyness but set the knowledge aside for later use. Who knew what the two of them could accomplish together? She smiled at the idea that there might actually _be_ a later. She'd worried about this trip for over a week but now that she was here, she wondered why she'd been so nervous. Even after the events of the night before, with some of her ideas being largely ignored, she hadn't felt like an outsider. That in itself was new to her. She'd _always_ been the stranger, the one nobody trusted too far. But now, as she listened to the friendly banter of her teammates, she felt included. She felt like a part of something. Vala allowed the feeling to embrace her as the general took a seat and she dealt another hand. For the first time in her life she had a place to belong and she was going to take full advantage of it while she could.


	18. Chapter 17: Counterstrike

I have omitted the episode _200_ simply because I found the "plot" far too absurd for my re-telling. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE that ep and I really wanted a Jack/Vala meet scene, but I couldn't figure out a way to fit it in and still keep my story going.

* * *

**Chapter 17: Counterstrike**

Vala adjusted the shawl around her shoulders as she and SG-1 melted into the crowd that had amassed at the village centre. She tried her best to blend in as they listened to the Prior drone on, but one look at the Ori ship towering over them made her feel completely exposed. She wondered if there was anyone aboard who would recognise her. She smiled as she imagined her face plastered on some sort of Ori wanted posters, but forcefully pushed such nonsense out of her head as a cheer went through the crowd. She studied the people, wanting to ask how they could believe in such drivel, but chose to remain silent. They were supposed to be on a clandestine recon mission and she wasn't about to screw that up. Instead, she turned her attention back to the Prior.

"You have cast aside the shackles of the past to welcome a brighter future. Now, hear the words of the Orici."

Vala's blood ran cold at those words. It couldn't be...But her hope died as she watched a young woman step out onto the balcony. Oh, god.

"It's Adria!" she whispered to Daniel and quickly stepped behind him to hide herself. She knew it was ridiculous, but as she felt the team close in around her she couldn't help feeling just a touch more secure. She watched over Daniel's shoulder as Adria spoke and felt an involuntary jolt of pride. She pushed it aside, reminding herself that Adria was not her child. She was a product of the Ori. But there was still a part of herself that wished it had been different, that wished...Nope, she wouldn't think like that. She couldn't.

Suddenly Adria stopped talking, her focus seeming to drift to something else and Vala wondered for a moment if she'd been alerted to her presence. She shrank further behind Daniel even as Adria retreated. She wanted nothing more than to leave this planet but tried to quell her panic as she watched the villagers turn toward the direction Adria had been looking. A strange blue wave was heading their way and she felt an all new sense of trepidation take over just as a familiar tingling sensation enveloped her. The next thing she knew, she and SG-1 were back aboard the _Odyssey_. She quickly spun around to look out at the planet.

"What happened?" Mitchell asked.

"That's what we're trying to figure out." Colonel Emerson said.

"Sir." Marks said in a tone that had Vala spinning around. "I'm not picking up any life signs on the planet.

"That's impossible." Samantha said, moving past her to the console.

Vala could feel her earlier trepidation turn to dread. She couldn't move as they discussed the possibility of a malfunction. She knew better, though. Even as Daniel and Samantha continued to piece it together, she knew the entire planet had been decimated. All of the villagers, the Ori followers...Adria…She felt the cold overtake her once more. She wanted to scream, to hit something. Instead, she simply walked away, hoping no one followed her.

()()()()

Taking a deep breath, Vala pulled on her BDU jacket and left the locker room. After leaving the bridge she'd gone straight there, serving two purposes. She'd wanted to avoid running into any members of SG-1, not in the mood for a Tau'ri pep talk. But also, she 'd wanted, _needed_ to remove any reminders of the deaths of all those villagers. Logically, she knew it wasn't her fault, but she couldn't rid herself of the guilt. If she hadn't allowed Adria to be born...No, there was no use thinking that way. She couldn't go back and change the past so she chose to ignore it. As she made her way through the _Odyssey's _corridors, she tried to focus on anything else and she blames her preoccupation for not noticing Daniel following her until it was too late.

"Vala, wait!" he called after her.

Vala kept walking but allowed him to catch up, knowing there was no point in trying to get away. He'd only follow. Her only choice was to put on her best mask and hope he didn't look too closely.

"Look, we-we still don't know what happened down there."

"They're all dead, Daniel, that's what happened." Even he couldn't be _that_ naive.

"I'm sorry."

"What for?" she asked, turning to face him for a second, genuinely curious.

"Believe it or not, I know how you feel. Adria was you daughter, and even though she was-"

"Relief. That's what I feel, relief." Vala had finally stopped walking, interrupting him before he could finish that sentiment. Maybe if she showed him she was fine, he would leave her in peace. But from the look he was giving her she knew she'd failed. She took a deep breath, hearing the hitch in it but drove ahead. "What, you don't think I'd want to be responsible for the enslavement of an entire galaxy, do you?"

"It was hardly your fault." Daniel said, studying her far too closely for her liking.

"I knew she was the will of the Ori even before she was born. I could have done something about it, but I didn't."

"She was your child."

"Maternal instinct can only excuse so much." She wasn't sure who she was trying to convince more, him or herself. "Of course, I did tell myself that my relationship with her might prove to be an advantage. That at some point, some _critical moment_, I might be able to reach her in a way that no one else could."

"And you might have been right." he told her adamantly.

"I'm just relieved I'll never have to find out for sure." she responded, looking him straight in the eye before turning to walk away. She knew from his defeated look that he would not follow this time.

()()()()

A short time later, Vala found herself alone in dining area. She knew she couldn't hide here forever, but she needed the brief solitude, to grieve alone. Looking at her, she knew no one could see her pain. But inside, she wept for all she'd lost today. She hadn't lied when she told Daniel she was relieved. Not entirely, at least. Part of her was glad she didn't have to find out how strong their mother-daughter bond was. But another part, a part she wanted to hide, was grieving for the loss of her child. Grieving over not having the chance to save her. And Tomin...while she didn't know for sure if he'd been with Adria, it was a strong possibility. She'd loved him. Maybe not as a wife should love a husband, but enough that she wished she could have saved him, too. Now he and Adria were both gone and she hadn't been able to help either of them. She felt useless. If she wasn't able to help those she cared for what the hell was she doing here? Was she even needed for this fight?

"Vala."

Vala startled at her name being called and turned to see Mitchell standing beside her. She plastered on her best unaffected façade and smiled at him.

"Cameron, how can I help you?"

"We're going over to the Ori ship." he told her. She could tell he wasn't buying her act but, thankfully, he didn't comment. "You spent time on board, we could use your expertise. Gear up."

"It would be my pleasure." she smiled again, this time a bit more genuinely, and stood to follow Mitchell out. She felt a sense of pride knowing SG-1 needed her. Perhaps she wasn't as useless as she thought.

()()()()

Vala followed Daniel through the Ori ship, glancing around warily. She'd told Cameron that all the corridors looked the same, which was true. Even spending as much time as she had aboard it, she still found it rather disconcerting. Not to mention the eeriness of the quiet that now permeated the ship. She couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching them, so she decided to distract herself. Her mind went automatically to her earlier conversation with Daniel. Something he'd said stuck out and she wanted to know what it meant. She just wasn't sure how receptive he'd be to her curiosity.

"Can I ask you a question?" she began, trying to sound nonchalant as they continued to check out the ship.

"Just the fact that you have to ask me to ask me makes me think I should say no." he told her, sounding wary.

Well, that wasn't a no, was it? She knew what he meant though. She didn't usually ask permission but she felt this went deeper than their normal discussions. There was only one way to find out.

"Back on the _Odyssey_, you said you knew how I felt. What did you mean?"

"What?" Daniel asked, sounding genuinely confused. If it were anyone else, she'd say they were stalling.

"Well, with Adria." She paused for a moment, allowing the sorrow she felt just saying her daughter's name to pass before continuing. "You said "believe it or not, I know how you feel." What did you mean?"

"Yeah. Um." Daniel sighed and remained silent for a few moments, making Vala think he wasn't going to answer. When he did, though, she wasn't ready for what she heard. "Ten years ago, my wife was taken as host by a Goa'uld."

Vala stopped, shocked by this new knowledge. Ten years, just about the time she was being freed from Qetesh. While she'd been regaining her freedom, his wife had lost hers. His wife. Suddenly she remembered something she'd seen.

"The framed pictured..." she said softly before jogging to catch up to him. "On the wall in your office is that her?"

"Yeah. Her name was Sha're. We'd been married for just over a year when she was...taken. I swore I would get her back."

"What happened?" she asked, not entirely certain she wanted to know but unable to contain her curiosity. And that's all it was, she told herself. They both stopped, as if the weight of the conversation held them stationary and Vala could see the pain in Daniel's eyes as he spoke.

"Uh, I joined SG-1 and searched for her for over two years, but in the end I couldn't save her."

The regret in his voice was palpable and Vala wished she'd never asked the question in the first place. But it was too late now.

"For a long time I felt guilty that I'd failed her."

"And now?"

"Now I can at least draw comfort from the fact that she's no longer suffering at the hands of the Goa'uld." he said softly. "I guess in a small way, I feel relieved as well."

Vala watched as Daniel's mouth turned up slightly before walking away. She wanted to tell him that even if he'd gotten his wife back, she wouldn't have been the same. That living with the atrocities done to and with your body as you looked on, powerless, was a far worse fate. But she knew now was not the time so she stayed quiet. Maybe someday she could tell him all of that, but not today. Today it was enough knowing he understood.

()()()()

Vala fidgeted in her position behind the alter. After her conversation with Daniel, all hell had broken lose. With Jaffa ready to kill without pause, the _Odyssey_ being unable to beam them out, and Mitchell having set "Plan B" into position, she wasn't feeling very optimistic about an escape. She chose not to voice her concerns, however, not at all liking the idea of being discovered. But everything had grown so quiet and it set her on edge. She hated not knowing what was going on, especially when her life was hanging in the balance. Just as she felt her patience coming to an end, a voice came over the radio.

"This is a message to all Tau'ri on board this vessel. My name is Bo'rel. My brothers and I have taken this ship in the name of all free Jaffa."

Vala rolled her eyes, remaining silent. She wasn't even Tau'ri.

"We have Teal'c and Colonel Mitchell in custody. Surrender now and no harm will come to them." Bo'rel told them. "If you do not identify yourselves immediately, we will have no choice but to assume your intentions are hostile. In which case, we will deal with the prisoners harshly."

Vala tried not to cringe at that statement. She knew better than most just how harsh the Jaffa could be. She looked over to Daniel, asking without words what they should do. He shrugged a little and she sighed.

"So be it." Bo'rel said.

Vala hit Daniel's arm, raising her brows at him. There was no way they could allow Bo'rel to kill Mitchell and Teal'c, not could they let Samantha give up her position. It came down to them and they both knew it. Finally Daniel picked up his radio and spoke.

"Bo'rel, this is Daniel Jackson of Stargate Command. Listen, there's no reason we should be fighting each other. We should be working together."

Vala rolled her eyes at the naivete of the statement. These people had just committed mass murder. Why would they even consider working together?

"I'm afraid that would not be possible." the Jaffa answered.

"Look we're dealing with with some very advanced technology, and we have some experience that might be useful."

Vala nodded her approval of this tactic. She'd always found a good incentive to be beneficial in such dealings.

"You doubt our ability to fly this ship?" the Jaffa sounded offended.

Vala wanted nothing more than to tell him _exactly_ what she thought but Daniel pulled the radio away before she could grab it.

"I'm just saying, there's not a lot of time, and it would be in everyone's best interest if we pool our resources."

"My orders are to take this ship and all on board. You will reveal your location."

Before Vala could say anything, she heard the unmistakable sound of staff weapons powering up. With one final glance at Daniel, she rose to face the team of Jaffa. Daniel did the same, speaking into the radio again.

"That won't be necessary."

One of the Jaffa took their radios as the another liberated them of their weapons.

"Bo'rel, we have them." the first Jaffa spoke into the radio.

"Well done. Hold them until our patrols find the control room."

Dropping the radio, the Jaffa motioned for them to move in front of the altar. They did as requested, placing their hands behind their heads, hoping to look non-threatening.

"You're making a big mistake. More Ori ships will be here soon." Daniel told them and she nodded her ascent, not allowing her fear of exactly that to show.

"Then they will suffer the same fate." the Jaffa said.

"I think not." came a disembodied voice, one Vala was afraid she recognised.

When the weapons suddenly flew out of the Jaffa's hands, she knew she was correct. She watched in astonishment as they were lifted into the air, the life literally being choked out of them, until they simply fell to the ground. She resolutely ignored the feeling of relief that tried to flood her when she saw her daughter come through the door.

"Adria?"

"Hello, Mother." Adria greeted.

Before Vala could answer, she saw Daniel grab a loose zat and aim at Adria. He was forced to drop it as Adria concentrated her powers on him, choking him as she had the Jaffa. A staff weapon levitated, aiming for him and Vala felt panic set in.

"Okay! We all know, darling, that you have telekinetic powers. You can stop showing off now!" Vala sighed in relief when the weapon fell to the floor and Daniel sagged, able to breath once more.

"I've missed you, Mother." Adria said, her voice taking on a soft tone as she stepped toward Vala. "They said I should forget about you. That you'd abandoned me because you didn't care."

"No." Vala told her daughter. If anything, she cared more than she knew she should.

"I knew you'd come for me." Adria smiled and for a moment Vala could see the human in her, desperately seeking her mother's affection.

"How is it you're even alive?" Vala questioned. "Everyone else on the planet was killed."

"I was saved by this." Adria pointed to a pendant hanging from her neck. "It holds a piece of the holy city of Celestis. It protects me, keeps me safe."

"Oh." Vala commented, not entirely certain what to make of this latest development.

"Soon the other ships will come for us. And once we're back with the fleet, I promise you, Mother, we'll never be separated again."

Vala allowed Adria to pull her in for a hug, at once content to hold her daughter for the first time and terrified at the meaning of her words. After a moment, Vala pulled back, taking the younger woman's hands in her own. Before she could say anything, though, all lights went off and she looked around in surprise. Adria seemed just as surprised as her so she took it as a good sign, grabbing hold of her daughter once more.

"Listen, we're not rejoining the fleet." Vala told her fervently. "You're coming with me."

"No." Adria said, pulling away. "I can't abandon my army."

"It's not your army."

"Of course it is."

"Well, as your mother I'm putting my foot down. You're too young to have your own army." Vala knew it was ridiculous, but she wanted to distract Adria from whatever she was certain Samantha was up to. If that meant risking her own life, so be it.

"They look to me for guidance, for protection, and for answers." Adria told her adamantly before turning her attention to Daniel. "Tell me what happened to my people here on this planet."

Vala watched as Daniel's body started to shake, his face contorting in pain. She'd seen a similar tactic used by the Goa'uld and knew without a doubt that Adria was far more powerful than any device they had come up with. She also knew Daniel could withstand torture, but that didn't mean she was willing to watch it.

"No, d-don't. He doesn't know anything!" she told Adria but it didn't deter the younger woman. She started to panic again. "Adria!"

Finally, Adria released her hold on Daniel and Vala couldn't contain the relief that washed over her as she knelt down beside him.

"You have a strong mind." Adria said to Daniel as she moved around them to face the fallen Jaffa. "Wake up, Jaffa!"

Vala helped Daniel to stand, all the while watching her daughter. Her eyes widened as one of the Jaffa awoke and stood, lifting off the ground as he struggled to breath.

"Welcome back. Now, tell me. What happened to the believers who came to spread Origin to this world?" Adria seemed to grow frustrated when the Jaffa didn't immediately answer. "Yours is a backward people. Too primitive to have created such an effective weapon. So tell me, how did it come into your hands? Where is it?"

Vala could tell the Jaffa was on the brink of telling Adria about the weapon and she knew if that happened Dakara wouldn't stand a chance. She had to end this.

"Stop it." she said forcefully.

"Don't interfere, Mother!" Adria said, taking her focus off the Jaffa for only a second as she forced Vala backward.

Vala grunted as she landed in Daniel's arms, feeling as if a huge log had landed on her chest. After a moment, she was able to stand without assistance, returning her attention to Adria. Vala remained silent as the young woman continued her interrogation, not knowing what else to do.

"Where is it?"

"Da-Dakara." the Jaffa struggled.

Adria merely tilted her head and the Jaffa's neck snapped. Vala jumped back into Daniel at the brutality, as her eyes slowly lifted to Adria once more. An ache filled her chest, one that had nothing to do with telekinetic powers. How could her child be so callous, so remorseless? Was there no part of her inside Adria? Had she only imagined the humanity she'd briefly sensed in the girl? She tried to set aside her thoughts as Mitchell's voice came over the radio. Neither she nor Daniel moved to answer, though, as they continued to watch Adria.

"If you can hear me, we're getting the hell out of Dodge." Cameron said.

"Too late." Adria responded, powering up the ship with her mind.

Vala looked to Daniel as she felt the ship take off, eyes widened in alarm. She could see the same emotion mirrored in his eyes. They were headed for Dakara and they couldn't do a thing to stop it. Her eyes returned to Adria, who seemed focussed on her task but after a moment, she redirected her attention to Vala, a slight smile gracing her features.

"I know Tomin will be happy to see you?"

"Tomin's alive?" Vala asked incredulously. She ignored Daniel's questioning gaze and made her way toward Adria. "He wasn't on the planet with you?"

"No, I've been travelling with various ships. As the leader of this great enlightenment, it's important that I make my presence known. Especially now when the first inroads are being made. Once the rest of the fleet arrives, I'll have a much harder time of it."

"How many other ships are coming?" Daniel asked.

"Many, many more." Adria answered. "By my estimation, the galaxy will be converted within the year."

Again they were interrupted by Mitchell's voice coming over the radio, and again they ignored it.

"This is ridiculous." Vala huffed in irritation.

"I don't know why you're complaining." Adria sounded just as annoyed as Vala felt. "You should be delighted. As the mother of the Orici you will be revered by all the followers of Origin."

"Well, while I appreciate the celebrity status, I have to admit it would get very tiresome, very quickly, especially if I had to perform for the-for the masses. I'm not very good with crowds." Vala purposely leant against the altar, knowing it would vex her daughter.

"There'll be no demands made on you." Adria cajoled. "All you have to do is accept Origin into your heart."

"That could be a problem."

"Perhaps at first, but eventually you will embrace the truth."

"I don't think so."

"You're my mother." Adria said, a mix of anger and desperation shading her voice. "If I am unable to convince you, how can I be expected to sway the countless worlds in this galaxy? Until I have brought you into the fold, my mission here is a failure."

"I can be _very_ stubborn." Vala told her, nodding when Daniel hummed in agreement.

"Then I'll be...patient and very...determined."

Of that, Vala had little doubt. However, she didn't get a chance to voice her thoughts as Daniel took up the argument.

"What about all the other people that refuse to bow down to the will of the Ori. Are you gonna show them the same courtesy?"

"There is a limit to my patience."

"And there is a difference between devotion and blind submission. You can't expect to win the faith of your followers through fear and intimidation."

"What would you have me do?" Adria asked, moving to stand in front of Daniel.

"Give people a choice."

"I'm trying to bring an entire galaxy from darkness into light. In order to do that, all doubt must be removed or it will spread like a cancer. It's that simple."

Vala watched on in fascination as her daughter and her...and Daniel went back and forth. They both sounded equally steadfast in there arguments. Once they'd both drifted into silent challenge, she finally broke in, hoping...well, she wasn't sure what she was hoping, actually.

"Adria, listen to me-"

"I'm sorry, Mother, the time for talking is over." Adria interrupted as her focus went elsewhere. "We've arrived."

Feeling defeated, Vala leant against the altar once more. She now had an answer to whether or not she'd be able to sway Adria to her side, just not the one she'd wanted. The ache in her chest started up once more, this time settling over her heart.

"You should thank me." Adria told them. "I just saved your lives."

"What are you talking about?" Vala wondered aloud.

Before she could get an answer, though, a Jaffa rushed through the door, aiming a weapon at Adria. She easily disarmed him and shoved him into the corridor, closing the door before anyone else could enter.

"It won't be that easy." Daniel was saying as the Jaffa began shooting at the door.

"Why won't it be? I'm about to destroy the only real threat against us." Adria scoffed.

Vala rolled her eyes at Adria's imperious tone. Why hadn't the girl inherited any of her _good_ qualities?

"You're forgetting about someone." Daniel continued. "What about the Ancients?"

"You know as well as I do they'll never get involved. We have free reign in this galaxy."

Vala could feel her panic rising once more, but she reined it in, trying to focus on finding a way out of this mess. She knew time was running out.

"Adria, listen to me." Vala put on her most persuasive expression as she looked upon her daughter in one final effort. "I promise to stay with you. I'll hear you out on the whole Origin thing. I'll even try to keep an open mind. Just let everyone else go."

"It's too late for them. But don't worry, I'll be keeping him alive."

Vala couldn't hold back her panic this time when Adria turned her attention on Daniel.

"We have plans for you." Adria said.

Vala wasn't sure how to take that statement so she remained silent. She didn't even want to look at Daniel. She had no idea what Adria meant by her last statement and she was fairly certain she didn't want to. What she did know was that she'd failed and now the rest of the team was going to die because of her. Before the recriminations could set in, though, she felt that familiar tingle and found herself once more aboard the _Odyssey_. She looked toward Emerson as he gave the command to get them out of here, not bothering to turn back toward the Ori ship, toward Adria.

()()()()

A short while later, Vala found herself once more in the _Odyssey's_ changing area. She'd removed all of her equipment, but couldn't find the will to move. If only she'd been able to save Adria. If only…

"Hey."

Vala looked up to see Samantha standing over her and tried to produce a smile but she knew it was a weak attempt. The blonde smiled sadly back as she took a seat on the bench opposite Vala.

"Daniel told me what happened with Adria. I'm sorry."

"Sorry about what, Samantha? That I apparently have no sway over my own child?"

"Hey, none of this is your fault."

Vala let out a mirthless laugh and shook her head. "Did you know that today was the first time I got to hold my daughter?"

Vala finally looked up to see Samantha cringe in apparent sympathy but she seemed to be at a loss for words. Vala could only sigh as the silence continued. What else could they say?

()()()()

Vala followed Mitchell and Daniel into the briefing room, purposely taking a seat by the window overlooking the gateroom. She really did not want to speak to anyone just yet so she was grateful when Daniel stood beside her and remained silent. She studied the stargate, wondering where Adria was now, which planet she was attempting to convert this very minute. Thankfully she was brought out of such morose thoughts by Teal'c's voice.

"There is news." the Jaffa said. "A cargo ship dispatched to the area has reported complete and utter devastation. Dakara is no more."

"Meanwhile we received word that five more planets have fallen to the Ori, including Hebridan and Langara." Samantha continued. "So far we haven't heard anything from our allies on either world."

"We're getting our asses whooped." Mitchell said angrily. "And it looks like that Merlin device is the only shot we have at stopping them."

"Then find it!" Landry commanded. "Dismissed."

Once the general and two colonels left, Vala finally stood and made her way to the table. She bent over the back of a chair, resting her chin on her arms and listened intently as Bra'tac and Teal'c spoke.

"The council is in disarray." Bra'tac lamented. "The Jaffa nation is fractured. And without Dakara to bring is all together, I fear everything we have fought for all these years will be lost."

"The war is not over, old friend." Teal'c said.

"If only I could have done more to oppose Se'tak."

"There's nothing to be gained by second guessing yourself." Vala interrupted, speaking more to herself than anyone else in the room. "You can't remake the past, so look ahead...or risk being left behind."

Without waiting for a response, Vala left. It was time for her to stop lamenting over Adria and what she could have done differently. If they were going to win this war, she needed to focus on what she _could _do rather than what she couldn't. It was time for her to move on.


End file.
